September 3, 2023
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 03.09.2023, 14:00
PARLIAMENT -
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said the Government will assume responsibility
for a law that will contain a plan for combating tax evasion, reforming local
administration and measures to curb the budget deficit. He made the announcement
at the end of the Social-Democratic National Political Councail held on Saturday, which set the party’s
priorities ahead of Parliament’s autumn session due to start on Monday. The
Social-Democrats want to finalize the new pension law, modify the legislation
on the prevention and combating drug trafficking and abuse and introducing
harsher sanctions for driving under the influence. The Romanian Prime Minister
also announced an extension of the cap on foodstuffs until the end of the year.
USR in opposition said it would call for a vote of no-confidence if the
government assumes responsibility for the fiscal modifications. USR leader
Cătălin Drulă said increasing taxes is not a viable solution.
REPORT – The head of
the Department for Emergency Situations, Raed Arafat, on Sunday made public the
preliminary report detailing the firefighters’ intervention following last
week’s explosions at an illegal LPG filling station in Crevedia, which killed
three people. According to the report, the firefighters first sent intervention
robots to cool down the gas tanks, secured the perimeter and evacuated the
civilians, thus avoiding a larger number of casualties among both civilians and
emergency responders. Raed Arafat complained about the disinformation and
manipulation of media outlets regarding the coordination of the intervention.
Three people died and 56 were injured in the wake of the blasts. Some of the
patients in critical condition were transferred to burn clinics abroad. Some 10
houses were completely destroyed by the blasts. The Prosecutor General’s
Office, the Military Prosecutor’s Office and the National Anticorruption
Directorate have launched investigations, while the authorities are inspecting
all LPG stations across Romania.
EUROIUDAICA – The city of
Oradea in northwestern Romania is as of Sunday hosting the Euroiudaica
International Festival, celebrating Jewish culture and traditions. For the next
seven days, the festival offers theatre, dance and music performances, book
launches, conferences and exhibitions featuring special guests from at home and
abroad. Some of the events will be hosted by local synagogues. Jewish music is
also celebrated in all its forms, featuring guests from Romania, Poland,
Hungary, Slovakia and Argentina. On the sidelines of the Euroiudaica Festival,
five theatre shows will be staged by companies from Romania, Poland and
Hungary.
US OPEN -
Romanian tennis player Sorana Cîrstea on Sunday is playing Belinda Bencic of
Switzerland in the round of 16 at US Open. Cîrstea leads 2-1 head-to-head. We
recall Sorana Cîrstea qualified for the first time in her career to this phase
of the competition after ousting Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, world no. 4.
Another Romanian player, Gabriela Ruse, is competing in the women’s doubles
alongside Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine.
WEATHER – A code yellow alert against thunderstorms is in
place until Monday in northwestern Romania. Heavy rainfall, thunderstorms,
strong wind and hail are expected during the interval in widespread areas.
Thunderstorms are also expected in isolated areas in regions in the south and
southeast. The weather remains sunny and warm in the other regions, with
maximum temperatures ranging between 20 and 34 degrees. (VP)
