September 20, 2023 UPDATE

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 20.09.2023, 20:00

UN – The
extended Black Sea region must be protected against the fallout from Russia’s
war in Ukraine, Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis said on the sidelines of the
UN General Assembly. Romania will not abandon its most vulnerable partners, the
president said, referring to the transit of Ukrainian grain on Romanian territory.
Klaus Iohannis said the war proved the Black Sea deserves more attention at
global level, being of strategic importance for trans-Atlantic security. The
Romanian president also said Romania is concerned about the effects of climate
change, pollution and energy insecurity and is making visible efforts to combat
these phenomena. At the same time, Klaus Iohannis underscored the importance of
climate education, which he described as a priority for Romania, adding that
climate and security must be interconnected and be a priority on the UN agenda.
Earlier on Wednesday, the president said Romania has attained 62% of its national
objectives for implementing 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and has
reported major progress regarding the implementation of Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) linked to environment protection and curbing the effects of
climate change.

LAW PACKAGE – The Government on
Wednesday debated the law package consisting of fiscal regulations and measures
to cut public spending. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu wants to adopt the
document over the next days and then assume responsibility for the bill before
Parliament. The package comprises measures designed to combat tax evasion and
cut public spending. The opposition claims the fiscal measures will have a
negative impact on the economy, entrepreneurs and liberal professions. Ahead of
the government session, the Prime Minister said Romania has the highest tax
evasion rate at EU level, accounting for over 10% of the GDP.

EXPLOSION – An explosion took
place on Wednesday morning on a Togo-flagged ship in the Black Sea, near the
Romanian port of Sulina. The Regional Port Authority said that, at the request
of the ship’s captain, all 12 crew members were brought to Sulina safely and
are undergoing medical investigations. Representatives of the Coast Guard and
the Romanian Agency for Saving Human Life at Sea also participated in the
rescue operation of the ship’s crew. The cause of the explosion is
unknown for the time being. Whether or not it was due to a mine remains to be
established by the Ministry of Defense, the port authority said. The
Naval Forces General Staff decided to send to Sulina a military ship
specialized in the detection of sea mines. Sulina is located close to Romania’s
border with Ukraine.

MOTION – The
Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday voted against the simple motion tabled by Save
Romania Union and the Force of the Right, from the center-right opposition,
against the Social-Democratic Health Minister Alexandru Rafila. The motion
initiators are blaming Rafila, among other things, for the way he managed the
health reforms and investment stipulated in the National Recovery and
Resilience Plan. Rafila has rejected the allegations and has deemed the
opposition’s move as demagogical. (VP)