May 18, 2022
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 18.05.2022, 13:55
WAR IN UKRAINE
– Russia is pressing the attack in Ukrainian oblasts and intensifying its
provocative actions in the borderlands, thus trying to offset a series of
military failures, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky said in his
traditional address to the nation on Tuesday evening. In turn, Defense Minister
Oleksy Reznikov said the war against Moscow is entering an extended stage,
whereby the Russian Federation is trying to gain full control over Donbas and
occupy the south of Ukraine. The Ukrainian Minister called on Ukraine’s Western
allies to coordinate their deliveries of weapons to Kyiv. Today, the
Prosecutor’s Office is bringing to court the first Russian soldier accused of
having shot an unarmed civilian. This is the first war crimes trial in Ukraine,
although many others are expected to follow, and will mark a test for the
Ukrainian judiciary, at a time when international institutions are starting
their own investigations into the war crimes committed by Russian troops in
this country, AFP reports.
ICJ -
Romanian has decided to intervene in Ukraine’s favor at the UN International
Court of Justice in the legal action launched against the Russian Federation,
the Romanian Foreign Ministry announced today. On February 26, 2022, Ukraine
filed a suit against the Russian Federation at the ICJ, regarding the interpretation,
enforcement and compliance with the obligations stipulated in the 1948 Genocide
Convention. According to the MFA, Ukraine claimed the Russian Federation has
falsely reported genocide in the Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts in order to
justify the recognition of the self-proclaimed People’s Republics of Donetsk
and Luhansk, as well as to carry out a special military operation against
Ukraine. Based on these false allegations, the Russian Federation is to date
engaged in a military invasion of Ukraine, with serious and large-scale effects
on human rights and humanitarian international law, the Romanian MFA also
writes.
NATO -
Finland and Sweden have today submitted their formal applications to join NATO.
Tomorrow, Sweden’s Prime Minister, Magdalena Andresson and Finland’s president,
Sauli Niinisto will travel to Washington to meet US president Joe Biden. Amidst
Russia’s continuous threats regarding reprisals in the event of the two countries’
NATO accession, the main obstacle seems to come from within NATO itself.
Turkey, whose vote is essential to officially admit Sweden and Finland into
NATO, has so far opposed this scenario, blaming the two countries for refusing
its requests to extradite persons whom Turkey believes to be members of terrorist
organizations, such as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), as well as for
suspending weapons exports to Turkey. Analysts believe Turkey is trying to gain
leverage for voting in favor of the two countries’ NATO accession, such as
lifting the USA’s refusal to sell F-35 fighter jets to Ankara.
OFFSHORE LAW -
The Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest has today adopted the draft law amending
the Offshore Law. With 248 votes in favor and 34 votes against, the new law
will allow the exploitation of natural gas deposits in the Black Sea. Whereas
the ruling coalition made up of PSD, PNL and UDMR supported the new law,
arguing it safeguards Romania’s energy security, AUR, a nationalist opposition
party, criticized the law, claiming it provides benefits without any sanctions
for investors. Energy Minister Virgil Popescu says the exploitation works in
the Black Sea will produce more natural gas than Romania will be able to
consume, saying that the additional revenues obtained as a result must be
directed towards investments. Representatives of the Oil and Gas Federation
said the new offshore law has been substantially improved and is based on
stability, predictability, competitive taxation and the free market.
MINIMUM WAGE
– The Government is today expected to pass an emergency decree allowing
employers to operate a tax-free increase in the minimum wage. The measure will
take effect starting June 1 and is part of the Support for Romania package,
designed to combat the negative effects of the price hikes. Workers with
full-time individual employment agreements are eligible for the wage increase,
as well as people who are hired over June 1 – December 31, 2022. Basically,
employees can opt to increase the minimum wage from 510 to 550 Euro.
MILITARY COMMITTEES – The
Romanian Chief of General Staff, General Daniel Petrescu is attending the
meeting of the European Union Military Committee and the NATO Military
Committee, both held in Brussels until May 19. The agenda of today’s EUMC meeting
includes the implementation of the Strategic Compass, the document regulating
the EU’s defense and security framework until 2025, the effects of the war in
Ukraine as well as the EU’s top priorities in the field of defense and
security. The NATO meeting scheduled for tomorrow will discuss the geostrategic
context and preparations for the NATO Summit in Madrid. NATO Defense Ministers
will also look the developments in Ukraine, the implementation of the
Deterrence and Defense Concept in the Euro-Atlantic area and NATO’s long-term
posture. NATO Defense Ministers will also discuss NATO’s warfare concept, the
Romanian Defense Ministry reports. (VP)
