October 19, 2022 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 19.10.2022, 20:00
NATO. The first two convoys of French armored combat vehicles set off for Romania on Tuesday, as part of an operation aimed at strengthening NATOs Eastern flank. As many as ten convoys will progressively leave the Mourmelon-le-Grand military base in eastern France, to reach Romania. French authorities have provided no details about the exact number of vehicles and their itinerary. Leclerc tanks are also to reach the Cincu military base in central Romania, to reinforce the mission under French command launched on February 28, 2022, in response to the Russian strikes in neighboring Ukraine. In parallel, special trains carrying ammunition, food and maintenance materials will also arrive in Romania.
Gas. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, presented, on Wednesday, in the plenary session of the European Parliament, the new package of measures proposed by the Brussels Executive for the economic and social support of Europe in the context of the energy crisis. This package also aims to protect vulnerable people and support companies affected by the increase in energy prices. (…) 40 billion euros will be used to help households and companies suffering from high energy bills. The package of measures also includes a framework for joint purchases, with the member states going to buy together 15% of the gas needed to fill the storage facilities in the winter of 2023-2024. (…) The measures will be analyzed by European leaders this week, and later by the Ministers of Energy. If the 27 member states give the green light, community services will establish the technical details.
Funding. 2.2 billion euros from European funds not used by Romania for the 2014-2020 programming period can be allocated to measures to mitigate the effects of the energy and economic crisis, according to the decision made on Tuesday by the European Commission. There are three types of aid that can be granted, namely: support for vulnerable households, non-refundable loans for SMEs and measures to encourage job creation. Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă specified that, in this framework, the Government will establish exactly the measures supported by European money. Meanwhile, Romania seeks to diversify its sources of energy supply. A memorandum signed, on Wednesday, in Bucharest, between the national companies Romgaz from Romania and SOCAR from Azerbaijan provides for the analysis of a possible project to transport liquefied natural gas from the east to the west of the Black Sea.
Agriculture. Romania has submitted to the European Commission the final version of the National Strategic Plan in the field of agriculture for the period 2023-2027, the Minister of Agriculture, Petre Daea, has announced. The document includes objectives such as increasing and diversifying production or reducing the impact on the environment. During this period, Romania will benefit from 15.8 billion euros from European funds for subsidies, investments in irrigation or agricultural equipment , Minister Daea also said.
Motion. The Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest on Wednesday rejected the simple motion against Interior Minister Lucian Bode. The motion against the Liberal minister was tabled by 55 MPs from USR and Forta Dreptei Party. The latter is a Liberal dissident party led by the former PM Ludovic Orban. The motion failed with only 88 votes in favor and 162 against. 6 MPs abstained from voting. The signatories wanted Bode to resign his position for failing to reform the institution.
EUSDR. The Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu, participated on Wednesday, in the ministerial meeting of the 11th Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR), in videoconference format. Minister Aurescu stressed the effort made by Ukraine, as the current chair of the Danube Strategy, in exercising this mandate, from the position of the first non-EU state to assume this role, in the context of the Russian aggression. He also presented the multidimensional actions undertaken by Romania to support Ukraine, highlighting the measures for the reception and integration of Ukrainian refugees and the measures to ensure food security by facilitating the transport and transit of grain through Romania. Bogdan Aurescu also encouraged the strengthening of links between the Danube Strategy and other relevant EU initiatives for the region, such as the Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea and the Black Sea Synergy.
Award. The European Parliament awarded the people of Ukraine the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, in support of Ukraines fight against the Russian invasion, which began on February 24. The prize includes 50,000 euros, which will be awarded to representatives of civil society. The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought has been awarded annually, since 1988, to individuals and organizations that fight for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It is named in honor of the Soviet physicist and dissident Andrei Sakharov. Last year, the prize was awarded to the Russian dissident Aleksei Navalny, for his fight against corruption and the Kremlins abuses of human rights. (MI)
