December 16, 2022 UPDATE

A roundup of local and international news.

Newsroom, 16.12.2022, 20:00

PROTEST – Hundreds of employees in the Romanian public education system on Friday picketed prefect offices in several counties, primarily demanding the full implementation of a law concerning their incomes. Education unions say the net salaries for this category are up to EUR 440 and warn that 2023 will bring a new series of union actions unless the government solves the problems in this sector. The trade unions also criticize the governments failure to pay for overtime and travel expenses and to adjust revenues to the inflation rate.

TIMISOARA – Romania commemorated on Friday 33 years since the start of the anti-communist uprising in Timişoara, western Romania. A traditional solemn meeting of the Local Council was held to mark the event. The participants, including members of revolutionary associations, discussed the events of December 89 and observed a moment of silence to honor people who died during those days. Exhibitions, film screenings, round tables, a concert entitled “Folk for the Revolution” as well marches were also organized on this occasion. 33 years ago, in Timişoara, a solidarity rally for the Reformed pastor Laszlo Tokes grew into an uprising that spread across the country and led to the fall of the communist regime.

SCHENGEN – The losses incurred by Romania for the rejection of its Schengen accession bid are over EUR 25 bln, says the Romanian interior minister Lucian Bode. “For 11 years we have been securing Schengens border, investing in human resources, capabilities and modern technologies. The losses incurred by Romania during all this time, since it has fulfilled the criteria but has not benefited from the related rights, are huge,” Mr. Bode said at a meeting of EU gendarme chiefs. The topic of Romanias Schengen accession and of the negative vote given by Austria in the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting last week was also raised by president Klaus Iohannis at a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels. Senior European officials conveyed a message of support for Romanias and Bulgarias Schengen accession. The EC president Ursula von der Leyen and the European Council president Charles Michel said further discussions would be held on this topic and progress was expected in the following months.

FUNDING – The Romanian ministry for EU funding and investments has submitted to the European Commission the second payment request, amounting to EUR 3.228 bln, under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The 3rd payment request, amounting to EUR 3.1 bln, is to be submitted to the Commission next spring. Romania benefits from over EUR 29 bln for the implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, including grants of up to EUR 14.24 bln and loans of nearly EUR 15 bln. The country has already cashed in 2 pre-financing installments totaling EUR 3.79 bln.

EU – The president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen will attend in Bucharest on Saturday the signing of an agreement between the governments of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and Hungary concerning the Strategic Partnership in the development and transport of green energy. The agreement will be signed by the president of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and the PM of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili, the PM of Romania Nicolae Ciucă, and the PM of Hungary Viktor Orban. According to the Romanian Presidency, the document is based on the interests of the 4 states concerning a strengthened national and regional energy security. The agreement will provide a financial and technical framework for the construction of an underwater renewable energy transport cable between Romania and Azerbaijan, via Georgia and the Black Sea, and further on for the transport of this energy to Hungary and the rest of Europe.

INFLATION – The EU annual inflation rate dropped from 11.5% in October to 11.1% in November, but in 8 member countries the rate rose from one month to the other, including in Romania, where it went from 13.5% to 14.6%, Eurostat announced on Friday. In November, the EU member states with the highest inflation rates were Hungary, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. At the opposite pole, the lowest inflation rates were reported in Spain, France and Malta.

RESCUERS – Romanian mountain rescuers were awarded in Paris at the International Rescuers Congress, attended by relevant institutions, associations and research institutes from over 60 countries in the world. “Salvamont Romania” was acknowledged as one of the best drone-assisted search and rescue services, and the distinction was received for the Data Analysis Centre in Târgu Jiu. The centre uses special software and drones for victim identification. (EE/AMP)