September 19, 2023

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Newsroom, 19.09.2023, 13:55

UN The president of Romania
Klaus Iohannis takes part in the UN General Assembly in New York, and is
to attend the summit on Sustainable Development Goals. In his address, Mr.
Iohannis will reiterate Romania’s firm support for efficient multilateralism,
compliance with international law and a rule-based international
order. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent, the General Assembly
session is affected by global divisions, deepened by recurrent crises and in
particular by Russia’s invasion in Ukraine. The Ukrainian president Volodymyr
Zelenskyy will attend the meeting for the first time since the war in his
country started, and is to address today leaders from around the world present
in New York. The US president Joe Biden will also give his traditional speech
before the Assembly and will plead for stronger action to fight global warming,
and for continuing support to Ukraine for as long as necessary.

TAXES The
Romanian finance ministry has released for public review a draft law on new tax
and budget related measures, after nearly 2 months of negotiations between the
2 members of the ruling coalition, the Social Democrats and the National
Liberals. Under the bill, micro-enterprises will have to pay a 1% tax on
revenues under EUR 60,000, and 3% if their turnover is above this threshold. The
same tax will be levied on software development companies, judicial activities
or healthcare assistance firms. The employees in constructions and in the food
industry will have to pay healthcare insurance contributions, while IT staff
will pay a tax on revenues for all amounts over EUR 2,000. A minimum tax on
revenues is also introduced for large companies, while banks will have to pay
an additional 1% tax. The government will take responsibility for this set of
measures by the end of this month, so that the bill may take effect on October
1. According to the authorities, the new provisions will help narrow the budget
deficit and avoid losing billions of Euros in EU funding.

CANNABIS The Senate of Romania Tuesday
voted against a bill to decriminalise possession of up to 3 grams of cannabis
for personal use, and to replace criminal penalties with fines ranging from EUR
200 to 600. The bill was tabled by a group of non-affiliated MPs, and is next
to be voted on in the Chamber of Deputies.

GRAINS Bulgarian
farmers carry on protests against resuming the imports of Ukrainian grains,
accepted by the Bulgarian government after the European Commission decided not
to extend the ban on such imports. In turn, Bucharest continues to allow the
transit of Ukrainian grains, but has introduced one-month import restrictions
until Kyiv comes up with a plan for its exports. The measure persuaded Romanian
farmers to give up their protests. Poland, Slovakia and Hungary unilaterally
banned imports of Ukrainian grain, prompting Kyiv to complain against them at
the World Trade Organisation. We have more on this after the news.

AID
Romania has sent a second installment of aid to flood-devastated Libya. Two C-130
airctaft of the Romanian Air Forces have 6 trips planned to deliver 55 tonnes of
food products and other emergency aid. Libya will also receive over EUR 5 mln
for shelters, food, water, and medicines. The death toll so far is over 11,000,
while another 10,000 people are still missing.

FESTIVAL
The George Enescu International Music Festival in Bucharest has reached its
final week. Until Sunday, the public are invited to attend free of charge
classical music concerts held in the Festival Square near the Romanian
Athenaeum, where celebrated orchestras from Romania and the Republic of Moldova
will accompany famous soloists and instrumentalists. The Radio Romania Big Band
conducted by Simona Strungaru, will give a concert on Friday. On Sunday, the last
performance in the Festival will be given by the Camerata Regală orchestra with
the percussionist Zoli Toth. (AMP)