Semptember 29, 2017 UPDATE
Click here for a round-up of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 29.09.2017, 19:59
DIGITAL SUMMIT – The latest cyber attacks on Europe have triggered economic problems, which have in turn led to significant financial losses, said Romanias president Klaus Iohannis in Tallinn, during his speech at the informal European Council digital summit. The president said that, without a common and fast intervention at European level, cyber attacks might severely affect the Unions economy and security. Also, president Iohannis stressed the need for an education programme aimed at helping the EU citizens acquire the necessary digital skills, in order for them to be able to face current and future challenges. Another issue approached, equally important to the EU and to Romania, was the digitalisation of public services, services provided by both the local and the central administration. Klaus Iohannis stressed the need to maintain the unity of the European project and also the need for a common approach to the various initiatives set forth by the stakeholders.
TRADE UNION PROTEST – The Romanian Health Federation “Solidaritatea Sanitara” (Solidarity for Health) continued to picket the Labour and Health Ministries in Bucharest on Friday, for the second day in a row. They announced that on October 4th would attend a protest meeting in front of the Government headquarters, organised by the Cartel Alfa National Confederation. Protesters fear that massive drops will be registered in the incomes of most employees as of next year. They want authorities to maintain bonuses for hazardous working conditions and lunch tickets and keep the current schedule for doctors, including with regard to night calls. However, the health minister Florian Bodog has ensured trade unions that salaries will not drop.
ROBOR – The Romanian Interbank Offer Rate, on the basis of which interests for loans in the Romanian currency are calculated, has reached the level of 1.58%. According to the National Bank of Romania, this is the highest level registered since January 2015. This rate, known as ROBOR, started to grow rapidly in mid September, which, specialists say, will in turn trigger a growth in interest rates. In another development, the Central Bank has announced that the net foreign direct investment flow last year exceeded 4.5 billion Euros, and the final balance on December 31st 2016 stood at 70.1 billion.
VISA WAIVER – Senator Ron Johnson, the chair of the US Senates Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, has voiced his support for a potential decision to eliminate visa requirements for Romanian citizens, according to the Romanian Embassy in Washington. Also, the US official has stated that including Romania in the Visa Waiver programme will trigger an increase in both countries security levels. The statements were made during a meeting with the Romanian Ambassador to the US George Cristian Maior. Mr. Maior handed the US official the Star of Romania National Order, awarded by the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on the celebration of 20 years of bilateral strategic partnership. George Maior stressed Romanias commitment to ensuring a solid trans-Atlantic relation and a robust defence cooperation, strengthened by the presence of US forces in Romania and in the region.
UKRAINE – Ethnic Romanians in Ukraine are calling on Kiev MPs to request a re-examination of the new Education Law by the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, saying that the law violates some provisions in the Constitution. According to Bucress, a Romanian-language news agency in Cernauti, ethnic Romanians in Ukraine would like the Constitutional Court to declare unconstitutional the article in the new law that confines education in the minority languages. Under the new education law, these minorities will be allowed to study in their mother tongues only until the 5th grade. This measures, criticised by the Romanian authorities, will affect some 500,000 Romanians in Ukraine.
PSD MEETING – On Friday, leaders of the Social Democratic Party, the major party in the ruling coalition in Romania, gathered in Sucevita, in the north-west of the country, for the monthly assessment of the activity carried out by the cabinet headed by Mihai Tudose. The participants discussed the delicate situation of regional hospitals, the Education Law, textbook in particular, as well as funding for sports. The party also tackled the situation of the National Energy Regulatory Authority and the losses recorded in the energy field in Romania, which rank among the highest in the EU, triggering increases in consumer prices. Also, the agenda of the meeting included legislative priorities, such as the justice and the pension laws.
ENERGY – Electricity prices in Romania will increase by an average of 0.75 Euros/ 100 kilowatts as of October 1st, the National Energy Regulatory Authority, ANRE, has announced. ANRE also says that gas prices for domestic consumers may increase by 6%, also as of October 1st.
RESCUE – A Romanian ship rescued 52 people from drowning in the Aegean Sea, including 19 children, the Coast Guard announced on Friday. They were coming from Syria, Iran and Afghanistan. The Romanian ship was on a patrol mission, as part of the Operation POSEIDON 2017 carried out by FRONTEX – the agency which secures the EUs external borders. Since the start of the year, Romanian ships have helped rescue more than 1,100 people in Greeces territorial waters.
