PLAN – Ruling coalition
leaders are today expected to announce the final form of the support package addressing
the population and the economy, in the context of soaring prices across the
board. The list of measures includes an increase in the meal allowance for
inpatients, an increase of meal vouchers and further vouchers addressing
vulnerable categories. The minimum salary is also expected to go up, although
employers will decide if they want to implement the measure or not.
Additionally, the authorities will also allow people to postpone the payment of
bank installments, a measure previously introduced during the pandemic as well.
Further support will be given to transporters, whose fuel purchases will be
partly subsidized, whereas grants will be awarded to SMEs. Liberal prime
minister Nicolae Ciucă said the package will help keep the economy going and
protect vulnerable citizens. In turn, PSD leader Marcel Ciolacu pointed out
this is the first time the Government comes up with such an initiative. The
plan is worth some €3.5 billion, of which €1.4 billion will be covered by the
EU.
DEBATE – The Chamber of Deputies
is today debating a simple motion filed by USR against Environment Minister,
Tanczos Barna. The vote is scheduled for Wednesday. The opposition party claims
the UDMR minister in the ruling coalition government is to be blamed for
illegal logging, for the destruction of the environment, the state’s inability
to tap into green economy opportunities and the contempt shown to civil society
whenever the latter signals environment issues.
MEETING – EU Foreign
Ministers are today examining the sixth package of sanctions against Moscow
during their meeting in Luxembourg. The EU’s 27 Foreign Ministers have their
differences over a possible ban on Russian energy. Germany, Italy, Austria and
Hungary are largely reliant on Russian gas imports. Ukraine’s president,
Volodymyr Zelensky, has constantly asked European leaders to adopt harsher
sanctions, including to stop purchasing oil and fuel from Russia and to
provide Ukrainian forces with heavy weapons in order to resist the Russian
attacks in Donbas. According to several European diplomats, EU Ministers are
expected to disburse another €500 million to fund a new delivery of weapons to
Kyiv.
VISIT – Projects on future
mobility in the EU have three key words – sustainability, performance and
resilience, EU Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vălean, said on the sidelines of Monday’s conference about the future of
Europe hosted by Bucharest. The EU official expressed hope Romania’s infrastructure
should improve in terms of quality in the shortest time possible. On Tuesday,
Commissioner Vălean will attend a videoconference with the ministers of
transport of Romania, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. Adina Vălean said she wants to discuss with Bucharest officials about a better
absorption of European funds devoted to infrastructure and to find solutions
for the rail, road, river and maritime transport of goods from Ukraine and the
Republic of Moldova.
REFUGEES – Over 85,000 people, of whom 7,915 Ukrainian
citizens entered Romania on Sunday. According to a Border Police release, a
little over 677 thousand Ukrainians have reached Romania since the start of the
war in Ukraine, most of whom were headed to Western Europe.
GROWTH FORECAST – The World Bank has
downgraded its economic growth forecast for Romania this year, from 4.3% in
January to 1.9%. According to the World bank, economic uncertainty has gone up,
particularly as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The World Bank has
upgraded its economic growth forecast for Romania in 2023 to 4.1%, while its
forecast for 2024 stands at 4.3%.
ELECTION IN FRANCE – Emmanuel
Macron will face the leader of the far right, Marine Le Pen in the presidential
runoff scheduled for April 24, following the result of Sunday’s first round of
the French presidential election. Both will be trying to secure the votes of
the other candidates, although experts believe young voters of the radical left
will decide the vote. The traditional right and left wing parties that ruled
France for over 60 years have been again eliminated from the first round after
obtaining embarrassingly low scores. Conversely, the radical left and right
wings continue to gain ground. (VP)
