August 4, 2023 UPDATE
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Newsroom, 04.08.2023, 20:00
DIPLOMACY The Romanian Foreign Minister Luminița Odobescu has
officially confirmed that a tour of Africa is being prepared for Romania’s
President Klaus Iohannis. Romania aims to bring ties with Sub-Saharan
Africa to a higher level, adapted to the new Romanian and African realities and
the new strategic interest of each partner. This revival will be done by
pursuing common values and interests, mainly in political and economic terms,
said the Romanian official.
DANUBE Naval traffic is very intense at the exit from the Danube to
the Black Sea, after Russia attacked the Ukrainian ports of Reni and Izmail. Romania’s River Administration of the Lower Danube in Galati
decided to only allow vessels to go out to sea and only then to sail in the
opposite direction. Since Russia’s withdrawal from the agreement that allowed
the safe export of Ukrainian grain to the Black Sea, the Danube has been used
as an export route for agricultural products from Ukraine.
NATURAL GAS PM Marcel Ciolacu says the Black Sea natural gas
extraction project Neptun Deep is a strategic one, which will turn Romania into
the largest natural gas producer in the European Union. The Domino and Pelican
Sud development plans were confirmed by the National Agency for Mineral
Resources, a post on the Government’s Facebook account reads. According to the
government, OMV Petrom and Romgaz will invest up to EUR 4 bln at this stage of
the project, which will generate an output of around 100 billion cubic metres
of natural gas, beginning in 2027.
HOSPITALS Electrical systems in around 300 hospitals in Romania have
been checked, and the estimated budget for revamping them is over EUR 140 mln,
the healthcare minister Alexandru Rafila announced. He said the money would
come from EU funds under regional programmes, and that the electrical and fire
safety systems in 21 hospitals have been completely reconstructed. Rafila also
announced a programme called Good and safe meals for patients, for the revamping
of kitchen and catering units in more than 250 public healthcare institutions,
with a budget of roughly EUR 450 mln.
FIREFIGHTERS PM Marcel Ciolacu congratulated the Romanian rescuers
who Friday completed their mission in Greece, for their altruism, courage and
efforts, and wished good luck to the Romanian fire-fighters that will replace
them in helping the Greek authorities and population struggling with extensive
wildfires. Romania and Europe stand by the Greek nation in need of support,
and we hope that together we will bring things to normal as soon as possible,
Marcel Ciolacu said. On Friday Romania deployed a new wildfire specialist unit
to Greece. Ninety Romanian fire-fighters replaced their colleagues who took
part in a similar mission in the past 2 weeks, under the EU Civil Protection
Mechanism.
BORDERS The Border Police Inspectorate announced that measures to reduce
traffic congestion at checkpoints on the Romanian-Hungarian and
Romanian-Bulgarian borders continue this weekend. The institution announced
that personnel will be increased to the maximum capacity allowed by the
existing infrastructure, and mobile check units will be used. Around 3,800 border
police will be working every day at checkpoints around the country. The border
police also recommend the use of the Trafic On-line app on www.politiadefrontiera.ro,
to check out live estimates on waiting times. (AMP)
