Legislation – The defense committee of the Romanian Senate is meeting today, with Defense Ministry representatives being expected to join, most likely to discuss the legislation in the field, in the context of the entry into the Romanian airspace of some Russian drones launched against neighboring Ukraine. In the night of Saturday to Sunday, residents of Tulcea and Constanţa counties (south-east) were warned by RO-Alert messages about the possibility of objects falling from the airspace. Later, the army identified fragments of a drone of Russian origin in uninhabited areas near the town of Periprava. The Romanian Defense Ministry sent a firm message to condemn these Russian attacks against Ukrainian civil infrastructure targets and elements, which are unjustified and in serious contradiction with the international law. The Romanian diplomacy reiterated its firm protest against the violation, once again, of Romania’s airspace and categorically demanded the cessation of the repeated attacks against the Ukrainian population and civil infrastructure.
Inflation – The annual inflation rate in Romania dropped, in August 2024, to 5.1%, from 5.42% in July, in the context in which foodstuffs prices rose by 4.25%, non-foods prices by 4.35%, and the price of services by 8.60%, according to data published on Wednesday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). The National Bank of Romania (BNR) revised downwards the inflation forecast for the end of 2024 to 4%, from the previous 4.9%, and anticipates that it will reach 3.4% at the end of 2025, according to the data presented in August by Governor Mugur Isărescu.
Decorations – The Romanian athletes who won medals at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris will be decorated, this evening, by President Klaus Iohannis, according to an announcement on the Facebook page of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee (COSR). At the Paris Games, both Olympic and Paralympic, Romania obtained a total of four gold, four silver and three bronze medals. Visually impaired Florin-Alexandru Bologa, 28, won a gold medal in para judo, in the men’s -73kg J1 category. Camelia Ciripana won the bronze in para table tennis, the women’s singles. In the Olympics Games, Romanian athletes won three gold, four silver and two bronze medals. The gold medal was obtained in swimming by David Popovici, in the 200 m freestyle event, in rowing, the double sculls event, by Andrei Sebastian Cornea and Marian Florian Enache, and in the women’s eight plus one event by the crew made up of Maria Magdalena Rusu, Roxana Iuliana Anghel, Nicoleta Ancuţa Bodnar, Maria Lehaci, Adriana Adam, Amalia Bereş, Ioana Vrînceanu, Simona Geanina Radiş and Victoria Ştefania Petreanu. The silver was won by Mihaela Valentina Cambei in weightlifting – 49 kg, Gianina Elena van Groningen and Ionela Livia Cozmiuc in the women’s lightweight double sculls, Ioana Vrînceanu and Roxana Iuliana Anghel, in the women’s pair and Simona Geanina Radiş and Nicoleta Ancuța Bodnar, in the women’s double sculls. David Popovici won bronze in swimming, in the 100 m freestyle, and Ana Maria Bărbosu, in artistic gymnastics, in the floor event.
Elections – The electoral period for the presidential election in Romania begins on Thursday, with the establishment of the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC), according to the timetable approved by the Romanian Government. The BEC members will be appointed by drawing of lots, and a day later the president of the bureau will be elected by secret ballot. Next, candidacies must be submitted by October 5 at the latest and the election campaign will begin on October 25. Romanian citizens with their domicile or residence abroad can vote by mail, and the deadline for submitting requests in this regard is September 24. The first round of the election for the highest office in the Romanian state will take place on November 24, and the second on December 8. Also, Romanians will be called to the polls on December 1, on the National Day, for the general elections to elect their representatives in the Romanian Parliament.
Law – The Romanian Senate adopted a draft law to amend the Criminal Code that provides for a similar legal practice for human trafficking and pimping carried out by coercion. At present, pimps can escape prison sentences, in some cases, if, for example, the victims declare that they were not forced to have sex for money. All parliamentary groups supported the initiative. This amendment to the Criminal Code must also receive a favorable vote in the Chamber of Deputies to become law. On the other hand, the list of prohibited psychoactive substances in Romania has been recently updated. 14 new names were added to the list of narcotics. 13 fall into the category of very high-risk drugs, and one into the category of high-risk drugs.
Music – The 12th edition of the Bucharest Music Film Festival event will take place between September 14-22, in George Enescu Square in the center of Bucharest. According to the organizers, the festival is relaunching in a new concept and offers the public evenings of concerts in a variety of musical styles, from the classical repertoire to jazz, from film music to pop fusion, bringing to the fore hundreds of artists and renowned orchestras. The event is organized by the Capital City Hall, through ARCUB – the Cultural Center of the City of Bucharest and is held under the auspices of Bucharest Days, thus marking 565 years since the first documentary attestation of the city. Public access is free. (LS)
