TALKS Romanian Prime
Minister, Marcel Ciolacu is today having a new round of talks with trade
unionists from the country’s medical system. In the meantime, representatives
of the Sanitas Confederation, who threatened with an all-out strike, are
presently picketing the Labour Ministry headquarters. Authorities and trade
unionists have decided the setting up of a working group consisting of Sanitas
representatives as well as experts from the ministries of Finance, Labour and
Healthcare, to analyze specific issues facing every sector and every
professional category in the field of healthcare and social assistance. Medical
employees have called for a 20% pay rise. On Wednesday, another trade union
federation, Hipocrat, announced its response to the unity appeal made by
Sanitas and kicked off a signature campaign with a view to launching an all-out
strike.
CHANGES Mihai Popsoi, the incumbent vice-president
of Parliament in the pro-western government of the Republic of Moldova, an
ex-soviet, Romanian-speaking country, has been appointed Foreign Minister to
replace the outgoing minister, Nicu Popescu, who stepped down. The new
government reshuffle is to also include a new minister portfolio, that of
European Integration. Ex-minister Popescu might become chief-negotiator for the
country’s EU-accession.
ISRAEL British Foreign Secretary,
David Cameron, has told the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that
Britain still believes in the need for a two-state solution after the later
rejected the allies’ demands for Palestinian statehood. During a meeting in
Jerusalem, the British official has reiterated his call for an ‘immediate
humanitarian pause’ in Gaza, by opening more crossing points to allow crucial
humanitarian aid into the besieged strip. In another development, the United
States has deplored the recent Israeli attack on a UN shelter in Khan Yunis, the
south of the Gaza Strip, which killed several people and has called for the
protection of the UN sites. The Israeli army has announced it surrounded Khan
Yunis and stepped up its operations against the terrorist group Hamas. According
to Hamas sources roughly 26 thousand Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been
killed in the Israeli bombardments and onslaught in Gaza, while the UN has
cautioned against the famine caused by the latest Israeli-Hamas conflict.
DRUGS Fighting drug
trafficking remains a priority in Romania in spite of the extremely complex
domestic agenda in 2024, Romanian Interior Minister, Catalin Predoiu said in
Anvers, Belgium during the launch of a new platform aimed at fighting drug
trafficking in Europe. Networks of domestic and international cooperation are the
most effective ways to fight drug trafficking, Minister Predoiu says adding
that Romania’s Police and Border Police as well as the institutions coordinating
various financial activities, transport and logistics will resort to concrete
measures aimed at keeping the phenomenon at bay.
DRILL The biggest military
drill staged by the North Atlantic Alliance since the Cold War kicked off on
Wednesday. Roughly 90 thousand troops from the member states will be
participating in Steadfast Defender 2024, which is due until May this year.
Through this drill NATO wants to prove its capability of rapidly deploying
troops from North America or from the other NATO areas in order to strengthen
Europe’s defence. Steadfast Defender 2024 will be a clear demonstration of our
unity, strength and determination to protect each other, our values and the
rules-based international order, says the Supreme Allied Commander Europe,
general Christopher Cavoli.
(bill)