September 27, 2024 UPDATE

Click here for the latest news from RRI

Radio România Internațional, 27.09.2024, 19:59

Deficit – In Romania, the budget deficit rose, after the first eight months of this year, to over 80 billion lei (about 16 billion Euros), almost 4.6% of the GDP, double compared to the same period of last year, according to data published on Friday by the Finance Ministry. Throughout this period, state expenditures exceeded 450 billion lei (approx. 90 billion Euros), while revenues were only 375 billion lei (approx. 75 billion Euros). In the budget rectification recently adopted by the government, the deficit for the current year was revised upwards from 5% to 6.94% of the GDP.

Storm – The Romanian authorities will mobilize additional forces in the counties where they are expecting problems caused by Storm Ashley. Heavy rain is expected around the country starting on Sunday afternoon for at least 24 hours, while temperatures will drop significantly, from 34 to 15 degrees Celsius. Operative meetings were held at the government, with the Romanian authorities preparing for extreme weather phenomena. The situation on the Danube is also being monitored, but the director general of the Romanian Waters, Sorin Lucaci, is not expecting big problems. According to hydrologists, the flow of the river Danube upon entry into the country will reach 7,600 cubic meters per second, and even up to 9,500 cubic meters after the rainfalls and the water brought by the rivers.

Researchers’ Night – The Researchers’ Night was marked, on Friday, in Bucharest, and other cities in Romania, with events meant to show the public what it means to be a researcher and how interesting research work is. Among other things, the National Natural History Museum ‘Grigore Antipa’ in Bucharest invited science enthusiasts to discover, among other things, invisible details of the specimens through electron microscopy. The Astronomical Institute of the Romanian Academy exhibited meteorite fragments recovered from different areas of the planet, as well as models of the main types of space vehicles through which man currently explores the outer space. In the “Children’s World” Park in Bucharest, researchers presented innovative projects, original experiments and unique demonstrations of natural phenomena and cutting-edge technologies. Every year, at the end of September, researchers from 23 countries and over 400 cities in Europe celebrate, through meetings with the public, the contributions of science to the sustainable development of a better society.

Agreement – The Agreement regarding Romania’s hosting the seat of the European Competence Center in the field of industry, technology and research in cyber security (ECCC) was signed in Bucharest, on Friday. According to a government press release, hosting the headquarters of the European Competence Center in Bucharest is a major achievement for Romania. “It is for the first time that our country hosts a European agency, a fact that reconfirms Romania’s increasingly important role in strengthening European cyber security, especially in the current international context marked by numerous security challenges,” the press release states.

Foreign workers – Romania has become an increasingly attractive destination for foreign workers, owing to economic growth and local deficit of labor in various sectors. The number of individual employment contracts last year passed 200,000. Most workers come from Asia, states with a modest living standard. Experts are warning that integrating foreign workers is not easy, but their contribution to the local economy is essential for maintaining the pace of development. The Romanian authorities wish to introduce a legislative framework to help migrants. According to the National Institute for Statistics, Romania had an active population of 8.4 million people in the April-June period, of whom 7.9 million were in employment and 421,000 unemployed.

Journalists – The Romanian Foreign Ministry condemns the fact that Russia has opened investigations against three journalists, stressing that the media representatives must be protected and not silenced. This is a blatant attack on the freedom of the press and against fundamental rights, the Romanian ministry said on the online platform X. Russia’s Federal Security Service has opened criminal investigations against three journalists, two Americans and a Romanian, who allegedly crossed the border illegally from Ukraine to make reports in the occupied part of the Kursk region, the Russian press agencies, taken over by AFP announced on Friday. According to them, the Romanian journalist is Mircea Barbu and works for HotNews.ro. In total, investigations were launched against 12 foreign journalists for the same type of accusations. The targeted journalists do not appear to be in Russia, but face up to five years in prison under the Russian Criminal Code. We remind you that on August 6, the Ukrainian army launched a surprise offensive in the Kursk border region, the first offensive of a foreign army in Russia after the Second World War.

Football – FCSB defeated the Latvian side RFS 4-1 on Thursday evening at the National Arena in Bucharest, in the first leg of the new Europa League format. The Romanian champions will play seven matches in the group, taking on Glasgow Rangers, Manchester United, PAOK Thessaloniki and Olympiakos Piraeus, as well as Hoffenheim. FCSB is the only Romanian side playing in the European cups.