March 5, 2024
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 05.03.2024, 13:55
MOTION – The Chamber of Deputies today dismissed the simple motion against Finance Minister Marcel Boloș, filed by USR and Forța Dreptei opposition parties. The motion was debated yesterday, opposition members criticising the Minister for introducing a 10% tax on medical leave to cover the holes in the state budget. Minister Boloș is also accused of violating the law that stipulates that any tax must be enacted six months after its introduction. Marcel Boloș denied all accusations, slamming the opposition’s motion as a politicized initiative. The healthcare system is underfunded, and the government sought to discourage medical leave, which would bring less benefits to working employees, the Finance Minister said in response.
TALKS – The president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, today met his Moldovan counterpart, Maia Sandu. The head of state reiterated Romania’s firm support for Moldova’s EU integration efforts. President Iohannis is also expected to receive the president of Spain’s People’s Party, Alberto Núnez Feijóo, as well as the president of the European People’s Party in the European Parliament, Manfred Weber. Talks follow one day ahead of the EPP Congress scheduled to take place in Bucharest on Wednesday and Thursday.
SCHENGEN – Romania is ready to join the Schengen area, not just with its air and maritime borders, which is expected to happen at the end of March, Interior Minister Cătălin Predoiu said on the sidelines of the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting in Brussels. Romania could strengthen Schengen, which is why it is unfair our country should only be partly integrated in this area, Minister Predoiu went on to say. Romania reduced migration by nearly 60% last year, while only 40 people illegally crossed the Serbian border thanks to a pilot program, the Romanian official said. His Austrian counterpart, Gerhard Karner, said Vienna is in no hurry to make a decision regarding Romania’s full accession to the Schengen area.
OECD – Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said that in 2026, Romania will manage to achieve one of its key objectives, namely to join the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). To that end, we need to implement reforms stipulated in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), the head of government added. The OECD comprises the world’s most developed states, which together account for 70% of global production and trade and 90% of foreign direct investment.
BACCALAUREATE MOCK EXAMS– The mock Baccalaureate exam series continues today with the mandatory written exam for each profile, according to the timetable published by the Education Ministry. On Monday, high-school pupils took the Romanian language and literature written test. On Wednesday, they will sit an optional written test for each profile. Representatives of national minorities will sit the Romanian language and literature exam on March 7. Preliminary results will be announced on March 15. The Baccalaureate mock exams are held in over 1,320 schooling units, and will be taken by some 146,000 pupils, the Education Ministry reports.
POLLUTION – Bucharest was ranked 35 in a list of the most polluted world capitals, according to a platform providing independent data on air quality. Other cities such as Berlin, Istanbul, Brussels or Warsaw rank above Romania, with in top position. The capital of Vietnam on Monday was blanketed by a thick haze of heavy pollution, caused by high levels of particulates from vehicle emissions and construction-linked fine dust. Air pollution is known to cause respiratory diseases and other chronic illnesses.
HANDBALL – The Romanian men’s handball team, Dinamo Bucharest, is today playing Sporting Lisbon of Portugal at home in its first fixture in the EHF European League main group 4. In the same group, CSM Constanța is taking on Fucshe Berlin, the defending champions. Having secured 3rd place in the group tables, Dinamo will play the playoff match against the team in second place in group 3, possibly Bjerringbro-Silkeborg of Denmark. The first leg will be played in Bucharest on March 26, while the return leg will take place on April 2 away from home. CSM Constanța, on the other hand, is bottom of the group tables and is thus eliminated. (VP)
