September 12, 2024 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 12.09.2024, 19:49
Defense. Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis has convened a meeting of the Supreme Council of National Defense for September 19, in Bucharest, the Presidential Administration has announced. The agenda of the meeting includes topics related to the stage and potential evolution of the conflict in Ukraine and the implications for Romania, following Russia’s illegal and unjustified aggression, but also the opportunities offered by the new geopolitical context for the strengthening the Strategic Partnership with the Republic of Moldova. The Council members will also discuss the National Plan for the Implementation of the Civil Pact in the field of Common Security and Defense Policy, as well as the Army Endowment Plan for the period 2025 – 2034.
Ukraine. The Black Sea is no longer an area of cooperation, but a theater of war, as a result of the aggressive actions of the Russian Federation, stated, on Thursday, the Minister of National Defense, Angel Tîlvăr, during a telephone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart, Rustem Umerov. The Romanian minister reiterated the firm message of condemnation of the unjustified attacks carried out against the norms of international law carried out by the Russian Federation against the civil port infrastructure of Ukraine on the Danube, in the proximity of the border with Romania. Angel Tîlvăr reconfirmed Romania’s firm commitment regarding the continuation of the support given to Ukraine, including at the level of training within the European Union Military Assistance Mission for Ukraine and within the INTERFLEX Operation, led by Great Britain. Rustem Umerov sent a message of gratitude regarding Romania’s decision to donate a Patriot air defense system to Ukraine. He also thanked for the humanitarian, diplomatic and food support given to his country since the first day of the Russian war of aggression.
Travel. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bucharest warns Romanians traveling to Germany to prepare for longer waiting times, because the government in Berlin has decided to extend temporary controls at all land borders to reduce illegal migration. As of next Monday, in addition to the temporary controls already in place at the land borders with Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Poland, there will also be controls at the borders with France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark, for a period of six months. Romanians facing special situations can call the embassy’s hotlines in Berlin, as well as the Romanian consulates in Germany.
Warning. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned Romanians traveling to Belgium that, on Thursday, a 24-hour strike was announced at Charleroi airport. Therefore, the operational capacity of the airport was reduced, and some flights were cancelled. Passengers were advised to check the status of flights on airline websites. Romanians who face difficult, special or urgent situations have at their disposal the permanent phone of the Romanian Embassy in Brussels – according to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bucharest.
Compensation. Romania will ask the European Union for compensation for the significant differences in energy prices between the west and the east of the continent. The Romanian Minister of Energy, Sebastian Burduja, explained that, for several months, tariffs in the Romanian region have been significantly higher than in Western Europe. Bucharest supports the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, and all these elements create pressure on prices in Romania, Burduja specified. He added that the request will be made to the Council of Ministers, at the European level, and voiced hope that our country will be compensated for these price differences.
Salaries. The average gross salary in Romania was 8,580 lei (1,725 Euro) in July, 100 lei (20 Euro) higher than in June, and the average net salary was 5,242 lei (1,054 Euro), higher by 66 lei (13.2 Euro). Compared to July last year, the average net salary increased by 14.8%. Financial analysts are of the opinion that, despite the increases, Romania has some of the lowest salaries expressed in euros compared to the other members of the European Union.
Harassment. The Bucharest Court decided, on Thursday, that the sociologist Alfred Bulai be placed under house arrest for the next 23 days, in the case in which he is accused of sexually assaulting female students from the National School of Political and Administrative Studies (SNSPA). A former SNSPA professor and highly publicized political commentator, Bulai (61 years old) was arrested on September 5. The next day, Bulai was taken out of police custody and admitted to the Military Hospital, after suffering a heart attack. (MI)
