February 6, 2023
Click here for a roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 06.02.2023, 13:55
TEAM Romanian president Klaus Iohannis
has conveyed condolences on Romania’s behalf to Turkey, after the earthquake,
which has recently hit that country and Syria. Romania is solidary with those
affected by the tragedy, the Romanian president wrote on Twitter. The government
of Romania decided to dispatch a specialized intervention team to Turkey, a
country seriously affected by the powerful earthquake last night. The support
comes after the international assistance request Turkey launched via the EU
Civil Protection Mechanism. In another development, the Foreign Ministry
informs that Romania’s embassy in Ankara has been contacted by a group of 10
Romanian citizens – a professor and 9 Erasmus students – who were in a town
affected by the earthquake. The 10 announced they are all right and requested
consular assistance for repatriation. A 7.8 earthquake rocked Turkey and Syria last
night killing hundreds and wounding thousands. The earthquake had the epicenter
close to the Turkish city of Gaziantep, close to the Syrian border wreaking
havoc on an infrastructure already affected by the war.
ENERGY
The Minister of Energy in
Romania, Virgil Popescu, says the country has no problems regarding its natural
gas supplies during the present winter season as it has enough quantities in
store. At present we have 780 million cubic meters more than last winter -
Popescu said. The Minister held talks with all the big importers of oil
products in Romania who had diversified their sources in an attempt to avoid any
shortages. Minister Popescu recalled that next winter, Romania is going to rely
on no less than a billion cubic meters of gas from Azerbaijan, under a
contract signed a couple of days ago.
DEBATES Romanian MPs are today debating
upon the simple motion tabled by the opposition USR and the Force of the Right
against the Liberal Interior Minister, Lucian Bode amid the forgery allegations
he is presently facing. The signatories of a document entitled ‘Romania
deserves better than thieves in public positions’, say the purpose of their
move is to draw attention to the unacceptable long period of time spent in a
public position by a man who deserves neither his academic title nor the
respect of the Romania’s honest workers. The USR and the Force of the Right are
blaming the minister for the humiliating failure Romania experienced in its
attempt to join Europe’s border-free area, Schengen, as well as for the rigged public
tenders for the purchase of cars by the clients of government structures. The
motion will be voted upon on Wednesday.
PROTESTS The Sanitas Trade
Federation in Romania on Monday announced fresh protest rallies in Bucharest, aimed
at denouncing the low salaries in this field of activity. Trade unionists are
calling for a 15% pay rise and for a series of debates on the salary law and the
proper funding of medical institutions. The protesters are going to gather in
front of the government and start a march through the capital city, which will
symbolically include several big hospitals in Bucharest.
(bill)