Radio România Internațional

Tag: war in Gaza

December 2, 2023

COP28 – Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis on Saturday said on the
sidelines of the UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai that Romania has one of
the lowest carbon gas emissions per capita at EU level, and is firmly committed
to accelerating measures to curb the effects of climate change through a mix of
renewable and nuclear energy. Romania seeks to reduce its carbon footprint by
80% by 2030 and then move swiftly to become climate neutral, the president
added. World leaders attending the UN Climate Change Conference are expected to
promise to triple their renewable energy capacity, enhance nuclear energy
capabilities and reduce methane emissions. At the start of the summit, the UN
Secretary General called for a global effort to renounce fossil fuels, while
the host of the conference, the United Arab Emirates, called for closer
cooperation with oil companies.

VISIT – Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu is paying an official visit
to the United States over December 3-6. He will be accompanied by a delegation
comprising the ministers of Defense, Foreign Affairs and the Economy. The visit
is designed to advance joint economic projects, boost American investment in
Romania and consolidate political and security cooperation with the USA. On Sunday,
Marcel Ciolacu is expected to meet representatives of Romanian communities in
Washington, Virginia and Maryland. On Monday, the Romanian Prime Minister will
meet Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and State Secretary Antony Blinken.
Marcel Ciolacu will also discuss with Jennifer Granholm, US Secretary of
Energy. The Prime Minister’s agenda also includes meetings with representatives
of Lockheed Martin and Google, Roland S. Lauder, the chairman of the World
Jewish Congress and Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary General.

WAR IN GAZA – Israeli
authorities have notified the Romanian Foreign Ministry about the death of a
person of Romanian and Israeli citizenship, held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. The
Foreign Ministry have conveyed its condolences to the family, announcing that
another 3 people with double citizenship are being held hostage in the Strip.
The Ministry has called for the release of all hostages. Israel has resumed its
bombing of positions held by Hamas in Gaza, after a 7-day ceasefire that allowed
the release of 100 people held hostage by Hamas in exchange for 180 Palestinian
prisoners. The Israeli army announced it has bombed over 200 terrorist targets.
In turn, Gaza authorities say 200 people were killed and 600 were wounded in
air raids. Humanitarian aid was again blocked on the border, and shootings with
Hezbollah were reported on Israel’s northern border. Israel and Hamas have
accused each other of violating the ceasefire, but according to Radio Romania’s
correspondent in the region, both sides continue to negotiate a new
humanitarian ceasefire.

TRAIN – The first of a
series of 37 electric trains built by Alstom is expected to arrive in Romania
on Saturday, the Rail Reform Authority has announced. This is the first
electric train bought in the last 40 years and the first new train after a
break of 20 years. The train will enter the testing phase on December 6, which
comprises 10,000 km in the local circuit before being rendered operational. The
37 electric regional trains were bought with EU funds and will link Bucharest
to the main urban centers of Romania.

HANDBALL – Romania won its
first match at the World Handball Championships, beating Chile 44-19 in
Herning, Denmark. Romania will next play Serbia on December 3 and Denmark on
December 5. The top three teams in each group will
advance to the so-called main group stage. Romania is the only team that has
taken part in all 26 editions of the World Handball Championship, a competition
it won once in 1962. Romania played another two finals in 1973 and 2005, and
came in third in 2015. Romania was ranked 13th at the previous
edition. (VP)

2 December 2023
December 1, 2023

NATIONAL
DAY – December 1 marks the National Day of Romania, celebrating 105
years since the unification of Romanian principalities into a single state. On
December 1, at the end of the Great War, representatives of Romanians from
Transylvania (center), Banat, Maramureș and
Crișana (west), voted in favor of the unification with the Kingdom of
Romania, thus breaking with the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Previously, on
November 28, a similar decision was taken by the General Congress of Bukovina,
another province that was previously ruled by the Habsburgs. On March 27, 1918,
after the collapse of the Russian Empire, the People’s Gathering of Bessarabia
also voted the unification with Romania. In the summer of 1940, following an
ultimatum, the USSR annexed both Bessarabia and northern Bukovina, today parts
of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, respectively.

PARADE – Over
2,400 military and specialists with the Defense Ministry, the Interior
Ministry, the Romanian Intelligence Service, the Special Telecommunications
Service and the Penitentiary Administration took part on Friday in a special
military parade marking the National Day of Romania. 250 foreign military from
Belgium, France, North Macedonia, the Republic of Moldova, Luxembourg, Poland,
Portugal, Spain, the USA and the Netherlands also took part. 130 vehicles and 40 aircraft, in addition to
23 types of military and air equipment used by allied participants were
displayed in Bucharest.

CONFERENCE – The UN Climate
Change Conference hosted by Dubai in the UAE has launched with the historic
decision to compensate poor countries most vulnerable to global warming.
Attending the Conference are 140 heads of state and government, including
president Klaus Iohannis.

WAR IN
GAZA – The ceasefire in Gaza expired on Friday morning, and the
Israeli army has resumed its air raids and shelling targeting the positions of
the Islamist terrorist organization Hamas. According to the so-called Hamas
government, an air raid has killed six people in Rafah, while the Health
Ministry has counted 32 people killed by Israeli bombing, including children.
Negotiations had continued over the previous night for a new extension of the
ceasefire, in place since November 24, yet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
accused Hamas of violating the agreement and firing missiles on Israel. Eight
Israeli hostages were released on Friday in exchange for 30 Palestinians
detained by Israel.

WAR IN UKRAINE – Kyiv announced
Russian invasion forces bombed targets across the country on Thursday night,
using kh-59 missiles and 25 Shahed 136/131 attack drones in the south.
Ukrainian armed forces claimed to have shot down 18 drones and a missile. Kyiv
has accused Moscow of planning a campaign of tactical air strikes targeting the
energy infrastructure in the middle of winter. A similar operation last year
left millions of Ukrainians without power and heat over long periods of time.
Ukraine has since shored up its anti-air defenses with Western weapons,
although authorities say it will take a while before being able to protect its
most vulnerable regions.

365 DAYS OF ROMANIA – Eight Romanian
brands will live the American Dream in the iconic Times Square in New York
starting December 1 and running through 2024 as part of the project titled 365
Days of Romania in Times Square. The project enables Romanian brands to take
part and share strong messages on the most iconic billboard in the world -
Nasdaq, organizers say. The first brand to be presented in Times Square on
December 1 is Arctic, the most powerful Romanian brand according to a survey conducted
this year by Unlock Market Research & Biz. Other brands such as Romstal,
Vola.ro, Aqua Carpatica, Bittnet Group, Eazy Insure, Metaminds, 5toGo will all
start their advertising campaigns in 2024.

HANDBALL -
Romania is playing its first match at the World Handball Championships against
Chile. In the following Group E fixtures, the Romanian women’s team will play
Serbia on December 3 and Denmark on December 5. The top three teams in each
group will advance to the so-called main group stage. The best-performing
player on the Romanian team, Cristina Neagu, four-time best handballer of the
year, is currently injured and will remain benched for the first games. Romania
is the only team that has taken part in all 26 editions of the World Handball
Championship, a competition it won once in 1962. Romania played another two
finals in 1973 and 2005, and came in third in 2015. Romania was ranked 13th
at the previous edition. (VP)

1 December 2023
Romanians repatriated from Gaza

Israel cannot leave a void in Gaza and will have to maintain a strong armed force in the near future to prevent the resurgence of Hamas, Israels president Isaac Herzog has recently told Financial Times. The Israeli official is confident no one wants Gaza to relapse into a stronghold for terrorist organizations. He Israeli government is considering a number of options regarding Gaza once the war with Hamas is over, and believes the United States and Israels neighbors will get involved in ensuring post-conflict security in the region, president Herzog went on to say. In his talks with Israels Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, US president Joe Biden strongly argued in favor of a two-state resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, adding that the occupation of Gaza would be a big mistake. Meanwhile, the Israeli army announced it is very close to destroying the military systems of Hamas in northern Gaza. Israel launched a full-scale attack on Gaza following the unprecedented violent terrorist attacks in southern Israel.

The humanitarian and security situation in Gaza hangs by a thread, and all countries whose citizens are still on the ground are making efforts to evacuate them. Romania too has successfully done that, although the repatriation process is difficult and complex. The evacuation was carried out following the actions of the Task Force created at the level of several Romanian ministries and institutions, also involving the efforts of the Romanian Embassy in Cairo and the Representative Office in Ramallah. Over 200 Romanian citizens and members of their families were evacuated from Gaza into Egypt through the Rafah checkpoint and were subsequently flown to Bucharest. A permission to leave Gaza was required for each of them, and the authorities had to cope with technical obstacles. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, the Romanian citizens and their families were picked up from the Rafah border by a team of the Rapid Response Unit of the Romanian Foreign Ministry and representatives of the Romanian Embassy in Egypt. From there they were taken to Cairo by another mobile team of the Task Force. Once in Cairo, they were boarded onto flights taking them to Bucharest. The authorities gave assurances they wont abandon those who wish to leave Gaza. A carrier supplied by the European Commission this week took off from Henri Coandă Airport in Bucharest, transporting supplies provided by the Romanian state to the civilians in Gaza. The assistance consists of bedding equipment such as mobile tents, beds, mattresses, pillows and bedding sheets. On October 19, the National Committee for Emergency Situations passed a resolution providing international assistance to the civilian population of Gaza, consisting in food and bedding equipment. (VP)

17 November 2023
November 11, 2023 UPDATE

VETERANS DAY – Romania celebrated the Day of Veterans of Military
Operations on November 11. On This occasion, garrisons in Bucharest and across
the country where military carried out missions in theatres of operations
abroad played host to military and religious ceremonies. President Klaus
Iohannis said this day symbolizes the triumph of peace over war, adding that
veterans are genuine role models for the younger generations. In a message
marking the occasion, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu in turn referred to the
sacrifice of Romanian servicemen, underscoring the importance of peace. November
11 is a day chosen for its significance, the day the armistice was signed
between the Allies of World War I and Germany to end World War 1 and created
the premises of the Great Union in Romania, on December 1, 1918. It was also on
this day in 2003 that the first Romanian servicemen was killed in action in
Afghanistan. 30 Romanian servicemen were killed and over 200 were wounded in
theatres of operations over 1996-2022. We recall War Veterans Day is celebrated
on April 29.

RESOLUTION – Social-Democrat leaders from across
Europe on Friday adopted a resolution expressing support for the immediate
Schengen accession of Bulgaria and Romania, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has
said. The Romanian official attended the European Socialists Congress hosted by
Málaga, Spain. More Europe also entails protecting and strengthening one of the
European Union’s greatest achievements: the Schengen Agreement, the resolution
reads, also underlining that Romania and Bulgaria have fulfilled Schengen
accession criteria. In a post on social media, Marcel Ciolacu gave assurances
he will do everything in his power to persuade Austria and the Netherlands that
Romania belongs in Schengen. On the sidelines of the event, Marcel Ciolacu met
with counterparts from Spain, Malta and Denmark as well as with Germany’s
Chancellor, Olaf Scholz.

WAR IN GAZA – The Romanian Foreign Ministry announced that dialogue
with the Israeli and Egyptian authorities continues with a view to evacuating
the remaining Romanians and family members from Gaza. At present, three mobile
consular teams are deployed with a view to assisting in specific
border-crossing procedures. According to the Ministry, the Rafah border
crossing point used to evacuate civilians from Gaza into Egypt remained close
on Friday. We recall that on Thursday, 41 Romanian citizens and family members
were evacuated from Gaza through the Rafah checkpoint, adding to the 93
citizens who were safely brought home onboard a special flight operated by the
national airline TAROM. Meanwhile, international pressure is mounting, world
countries calling on Israel to accept an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and take
measures to limit the loss of human lives. Too many Palestinians have been
killed, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said in what has been his
firmest response to Israel’s actions since hostilities broke out in the region.
In turn, the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, said Israel should stop
bombing Gaza and killing civilians. Both officials have however expressed
support for Israel’s actions targeted against the Islamist terrorist
organization Hamas. In another development, on the sidelines of a joint summit
of the Arab League and the Islamic Cooperation Organization devoted to the
developments in Gaza, hosted by Riyadh on Saturday, the president of the
Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, called on the USA to pressure Israel to
stop its offensive in Gaza. Palestinians need international protection from
Israeli attacks, president Abbas went on to say. In turn, the Crown Prince of
Saudi Arabia, Mohammad bin Salman, has called an end to what he was termed the
siege on Gaza, while Egyptian president, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, called for an
immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza without restrictions or conditions.
On the ground, the Israeli army on Saturday announced it has captured 11 Hamas
outposts in Gaza, adding that Israeli forces destroyed a vehicle carrying
explosives as well as a tunnel used by Hamas militants.

TENNIS – Romania’s tennis team defeated Serbia 4-0 in the Billie
Jean King Cup World Group playoffs. On Saturday, Jaqueline Cristian won 7-5,
4-6, 7-5 against Lola Radivojevic. In the doubles match Anca Todoni and Monica
Niculescu won 6-1, 7-6 against Katarina Kozarov and Aleksandra Krunic.
On Friday, Jaqueline Cristian won 7-5, 6-4 against Aleksandra Krunic while
Gabriela Ruse defeated Mia Rustic 7-6, 6-3. Romania will advance to the Billie
Jean King Cup preliminaries, while Serbia will play in Group 1. In April,
Romania lost 3-2 to Slovenia, failing to qualify to the final tournament. (VP)

11 November 2023
November 11, 2023

VETERANS DAY – Romania celebrated the Day of Veterans of Military
Operations on November 11. On This occasion, garrisons in Bucharest and across
the country where military carried out missions in theatres of operations
abroad played host to military and religious ceremonies. President Klaus
Iohannis said this day symbolizes the triumph of peace over war, adding that
veterans are genuine role models for the younger generations. In a message
marking the occasion, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu in turn referred to the
sacrifice of Romanian servicemen, underscoring the importance of peace. November
11 is a day chosen for its significance, the day the armistice was signed
between the Allies of World War I and Germany to end World War 1 and created
the premises of the Great Union in Romania, on December 1, 1918. It was also on
this day in 2003 that the first Romanian servicemen was killed in action in
Afghanistan. 30 Romanian servicemen were killed and over 200 were wounded in
theatres of operations over 1996-2022. We recall War Veterans Day is celebrated
on April 29.

RESOLUTION – Social-Democrat leaders from across Europe on Friday
adopted a resolution expressing support for the immediate Schengen accession of
Bulgaria and Romania, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has said. The Romanian
official attended the European Socialists Congress hosted by Málaga, Spain.
More Europe also entails protecting and strengthening one of the European
Union’s greatest achievements: the Schengen Agreement, the resolution reads,
also underlining that Romania and Bulgaria have fulfilled Schengen accession
criteria. In a post on social media, Marcel Ciolacu gave assurances he will do
everything in his power to persuade Austria and the Netherlands that Romania
belongs in Schengen. On the sidelines of the event, Marcel Ciolacu met with counterparts from Spain, Malta and Denmark as well as with Germany’s Chancellor, Olaf Scholz.

WAR IN GAZA – The Rafah border crossing point used to evacuate
civilians from Gaza into Egypt remained closed on Friday, the Romanian Foreign
Ministry reports. As a result, Romanian citizens and members of their families
who received permission to evacuate are still on standby. Romania’s
Representative Office in Ramallah remains in permanent contact with people
who’ve asked for assistance to evacuate, the Ministry also says. A third mobile
consular team as part of the Rapid Response Unit set up at the level of the
Crisis Room monitoring developments in Gaza was deployed in Cairo with a view
to assisting in specific border-crossing procedures. Romania’s diplomatic
representatives in Cairo and Tel Aviv remain in permanent contact with Egyptian
and Israeli authorities until all citizens are evacuated, the Ministry also
assures. On Thursday, 41 Romanian citizens and family members were evacuated
from Gaza through the Rafah checkpoint, adding to the 93 citizens who were
safely brought home. Meanwhile, international pressure is mounting, world
countries calling on Israel to accept an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and take
measures to limit the loss of human lives. Too many Palestinians have been
killed, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said in what has been his
firmest response to Israel’s actions since hostilities broke out in the region.
In turn, the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, said Israel should stop
bombing Gaza and killing civilians. Both officials have however expressed
support for Israel’s actions targeted against the Islamist terrorist
organization Hamas. In another development, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia,
Mohammad bin Salman, has condemned Israel’s repeated violations of
international humanitarian legislation. Riyadh on Saturday hosted a joint
summit of the Arab League and the Islamic Cooperation Organization devoted to
the developments in Gaza. Following the October 7 Hamas attack, which killed
over 1,400 people, Tel Aviv declared war against the Islamist organization.
According to the Health Ministry on Gaza, over 11,000 Palestinians were killed
in Israeli bombings in Gaza, of whom the majority are civilians. Gaza is now
struggling with a humanitarian crisis, Reuters reports.

TENNIS – Romania’s tennis team leads 2-0 in the Billie Jean King
Cup playoffs against Serbia. On Saturday, Jaqueline Cristian is playing Mia
Ristic, while Gabriela Ruse will take on Aleksandra Krunic. The doubles match
will pit Katarina Kozarov and Natalija Stefanovic against Irina Bara and Monica
Niculescu. On Friday, Jaqueline Cristian won 7-5, 6-4 against Aleksandra Krunic
while Gabriela Ruse defeated Mia Rustic 7-6, 6-3. The winner will advance to
the Billie Jean King Cup preliminaries, while the loser will play in Group 1.
In April, Romania lost 3-2 to Slovenia, failing to qualify to the final
tournament. (VP)

11 November 2023
November 7, 2023

ROMANIANS IN GAZA – 103 Romanians and members of their families in Gaza were last night given permission to cross the Rafah border into Egypt, the Romanian Foreign Ministry has announced. The Romanians were notified about border-crossing procedures, and their evacuation to Egypt will be carried out today, in compliance with specific regulations. Subsequently, they will be flown home from Cairo onboard a special flight. Romanian authorities remain in contact with Egyptian and Israeli authorities with a view to bringing home the remaining Romanian citizens in Gaza whove asked for assistance.

CEASEFIRE – Leaders of UN agencies have called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, one month since hostilities broke out in the area. “An entire population is besieged and under attack, denied access to the essentials for survival, bombed in their homes, shelters, hospitals and places of worship. This is unacceptable,” UN leaders said in a joint statement. The 18 signatories include Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and UN aid chief Martin Griffiths. In turn, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the situation in Gaza is a crisis of humanity, and that Palestinian territories bombed by the Israeli armed forces are rapidly turning into a “graveyard for children”. The so-called Hamas authorities announced the death toll has exceeded 10,000 in Gaza, of whom 4,000 children.

CASH PAYMENTS – Cash payments made by natural persons or self-employed people will be restricted to a maximum of 1,000 EUR per day starting January 1, 2024, and further down to 500 EUR starting January 1, 2025. The limitation was included in the package of fiscal and budget measures over which Marcel Cioalcus Cabinet assumed responsibility in Parliament and which was ruled constitutional by the Constitutional Court. Marcel Ciolacu says the measure is designed to combat tax evasion. The Prime Minister also mentioned the government doesnt want to eliminate cash payments altogether, arguing however that Romania has the highest tax evasion rate at EU level, totaling 160 bln lei, accounting for 10% of the GDP. Representatives of SMEs and experts alike have criticized the measure.

REVIEW – The Romanian Labor Ministry announced it will review the allowances and benefits awarded to people with disabilities in Ilfov County, after discovering irregularities in 1,400 of the 1,700 files they have examined so far. Minister Simona Bucura-Oprescu said the Ministry has notified the authorities and the members of the Ilfov County Committee for the Evaluation of People with Disabilities have been dismissed. The topic was discussed at coalition level, and its leaders decided to conduct checks regarding the way disability certificates are issued nationwide. Some 800,000 people own disability certificates and receive financial aid, which puts Romania at the top of the list in Europe, Prime Minister Ciolacu says. In turn, Liberal leader Nicolae Ciucă says it is hard to believe Romania has such a high number of people with disabilities.

MOLDOVA – The Action and Solidarity Party (PAS), the ruling pro-European party in the Republic of Moldova, has won most of the district councils in Sundays local election. PAS failed to win in large cities. Former Socialist Ion Ceban won the race for the Chișinău City Hall from the first round. Authorities say the election campaign was marked by unprecedented interference from the Russian Federation in election processes, including the illegal funding of parties and swaying voters and candidates. The Russian Federation has denied the accusations. The local election is seen as a test ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections, which will be held in 2024 and 2025, respectively, in the Republic of Moldova. (VP)

7 November 2023
November 6, 2023 UPDATE

HOSTAGES – The Romanian
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luminiţa Odobescu, had a telephone conversation
with her Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shoukri, about the situation of the
Romanian citizens in Gaza who requested support for their evacuation. The
Romanian official appealed to the Egyptian authorities to treat with priority
the evacuation requests of the Romanian citizens, when the Rafah border point
becomes functional again. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is prepared to
provide consular support for the safe evacuation of Romanian citizens and
family members who requested this, Luminita Odobescu said, and the Egyptian
official assured that the authorities in Cairo are paying special attention to
the request. Luminita Odobescu mentioned that more than 260 Romanian citizens
and members of their families want to be evacuated from Gaza, and negotiations
are underway. Previously, the Romanian foreign minister had a conversation with
her Israeli counterpart, also approaching the situation of the six Romanians
with dual citizenship held hostage in the Gaza Strip. The Embassy of Romania in
Tel Aviv and the Consulate General of Romania in Haifa maintain contact with
the Israeli authorities.

AID – The European
Commission will disburse an additional 25 mln EUR to Palestinians in Gaza, the
second such assistance package in the last month, which raises total aid to 100
mln EUR. Prior to the outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Hamas,
European Commission assistance stood at 25 mln EUR. The European Union remains
the largest donor to the Palestinians in terms of humanitarian aid. Commission
spokesman for humanitarian aid and crisis management, Balazs Ujvari, said the
assistance will be delivered to NGOs that cooperate with the European Union in
this process. The assistance will consist in medicine, water and food. Two
weeks ago, the European Union organized a series of eight flights carrying
humanitarian aid, six of which have already landed, delivering approximately
260 tons of aid.

ELECTION IN MOLDOVA – The acting mayor
of Chișinău, former Socialist Ion Ceban, one of the rivals of president Maia
Sandu, has won the first leg of the local election in Chișinău, according to
results made public by the Central Election Committee. Ceban grabbed 50.6% of
the vote and was followed by the Action and Solidarity Party candidate, Lilian
Carp, withg 28% of the vote. At national level, PAS won most of the city halls
in 19 districts in the center and south of the Republic of Moldova, with a
total of 25.5% of the votes. Ranking second in the overall standings is the
Party of the Socialists in the Republic of Moldova of the former president Igor
Dodon, which won 18.5% of the votes, mostly in the north. The National Alternative Movement, created
around Ion Ceban, won 7%, which is enough to meet the election threshold. PAS
spokesman Igor Grosu says Sunday’s election in the Republic of Moldova saw
unprecedented interference from the Russian Federation. The authorities accuse
Moscow of illegally funding parties, corrupting voters and candidates. The
Chance Party, controlled by the wanted oligarch Ilan Shor, was declared
ineligible on the eve of the election.

BANKS – Romania’s Prime
Minister, Marcel Ciolacu, on Monday discussed with representatives of the
Romanian Association of Banks about the new cap on cash payments. The Prime
Minister previously wrote on Facebook that it is unacceptable that banks should
increase fees artificially. The Prime Minister wants to keep the measure in
place and warns Romania ranks first at EU level in terms of tax evasion.
Limiting cash transactions should be reviewed as soon as possible, Senate
Speaker Nicolae Ciucă has said, adding that not all people are responsible for
tax evasion and have a right to use their money as they please. The limit on
transactions operated with cash might be reviewed at coalition level. The
measure was supposed to take effect on November 11. In turn, the Competition
Council president, Bogdan Chirițoiu, said that cash payments present two
drawbacks: first, tax evasion, as they are more difficult to monitor and
second, procedures to make cash available are very costly. Bogdan Chirițoiu
said there are countries in the EU that almost never use cash. (MI & VP)

6 November 2023
October 27, 2023

WAR IN GAZA – The Israeli army launched a new land attack in Gaza,
targeting Hams combatants. Infantry and tank units were supported by gunships
in their assault. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said troops are preparing
for an all-out land assault, which has been repeatedly postponed due to the
Pentagon’s request. US officials asked for additional time to set up its Patriot
missile systems in its bases in the Middle East. According to the Pentagon,
some 900 US servicemen have been deployed to the Middle East to strengthen the
US presence in the region.

APPEAL – EU leaders met in Brussels on the sidelines of the European
Council meeting to call for a humanitarian break in hostilities between Israel
and Hamas, in order to allow the distribution of aid to Palestinians in Gaza.
Insignificant amounts of medicine and food have over the last days reached the
strip, currently targeted by Israeli attacks in the wake of the October 7 Hamas
terrorist attacks. The European Council also decided to make efforts to
organize an international conference in order to identify short- and long-term
solutions. The long-term target is a two-state solution. Hamas will not take
part in the conference as it is deemed a terrorist organization that must be
disbanded. With tensions escalating across the Middle East, the pressure from
migratory flows also increased in Europe. The Migration Pact was another topic
on the agenda for talks, which also focused on the need for the EU to increase
its budget so as to tackle the issue jointly with the countries of origin. The
EU leaders agreed to adjust the multiannual budget to address four priorities:
migration, support for Ukraine, support for the calamities in Europe and the
EU’s economic competitiveness. Representing Romania in the European Council
meeting is president Klaus Iohannis.

DECREE – The Government is expected to pass a new emergency decree
to cut public spending. The decision follows the ratification by president
Klaus Iohannis of a law on fiscal and budget measures, which introduces new
taxes and eliminates some tax breaks. Part of these provisions will take effect
over the next few days, while the rest on January 1, 2024. The measures are not
however enough to curb the budget deficit by the end of the year, and Romania
risks losing dozens of billions of Euro worth of European funds. The draft
emergency decree was submitted for debate on Tuesday. It is expected to impose
new spending restrictions for public institutions and city halls, including the
organization of festivals and competitions. Local authorities will be prevented
from signing new agreements for the purchase of office supplies, other goods
and maintenance services or repair works. The draft decree also stipulates that
all salary rights dictated by courts of law will be paid starting 2024,
including for teachers and magistrates. Romania’s budget deficit stood at 3.55%
of the GDP at the end of September.

ATTACK IN THE US – Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis, has
conveyed a message of condolence to his American counterpart Joe Biden in the
wake of the armed attack in Lewiston, Maine. Romania stands with the American
citizens and the families of the victims, to whom we convey our compassion. We
also wish speedy recovery to the wounded, the president’s message reads. At
least 22 people were killed and dozens of others were wounded in an armed
attack in Maine, where the suspect is still at large.

FEAST DAY – Orthodox Christians in Romania are today marking the
feast day of Saint Demetrius of Basarabov, also known as Saint Demetrius the
New, the patron saint of Bucharest. A pilgrimage to his relics and the reliquary
of Saint Demetrius of Thessaloniki brought over from Greece continues today in
the capital-city. Saint Demetrius the New lived south of the Danube in
present-day Bulgaria. After his death, his relics were found by locals after
the saint appeared in the dream of an ill young girl, indicating the place
where his body lay. The relics were given to Romania as a gift during the
Russian-Turkish War, in 1774.

DST – Daylight Saving Time ends on October 29 in Romania, when 4AM
will become 3AM, making Sunday the longest day of the year. In 2023, Romania
switched to DST on March 26 to benefit from daylight. (VP)

27 October 2023