July 27, 2022

Click here for a roundup of local and world news

Newsroom, 27.07.2022, 13:55

GOVERNMENT The government of Romania
is to pass today the implementing rules for an emergency order on rescheduling
bank loan repayments. Instalments can be deferred for a maximum of 9 months,
with citizens and companies having to prove that their monthly expenses have
increased by at least 25%. The government’s decision follows a steep rise in
inflation and a drop in people’s spending power. The agenda of today’s
government meeting also includes the provision of emergency aid to
underprivileged citizens. The Cabinet would like to spend some EUR 200,000 to
support around 250 families and individuals in difficulty either because of
fires or floods, or because of health problems. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian
refugees in Romania remain a matter of priority for the government, which plans
to take products from the state reserves and distribute them as aid to the
refugees.

ENERGY Romania is widely supported by the US, says the Romanian
energy minister, Virgil Popescu, who had working meetings on Tuesday with
officials from the US Department of State. In a social media post, the Romanian
official said he had received assurances from Washington regarding support for
the development of the Romanian civilian nuclear programme. Virgil Popescu mentioned
that the Romanian authorities plan to complete the funding for the building of
reactors 3 and 4 at the Cernavodă nuclear power plant by the end of the year, and
that the financial support of the US partners is very important. The US also
provides the assistance required for the implementation of a small modular
reactor, the first of this kind in Romania.

DIPLOMACY Romania is deeply anchored
in a Euro-Atlantic system of values, security and unwavering solidarity, as a
result, among other things, of decades of diplomatic work, the Romanian foreign
minister Bogdan Aurescu stated today, on the celebration of 160 years since the
Foreign Ministry was established. He reviewed the history of the institution,
mentioning the outstanding personalities in Romanian diplomacy, and highlighted
the current challenges. ‘When, for the first time since 1945, the threat of a
brutal, unjustified and unprovoked war launched by Russia against our neighbour
Ukraine looms over Europe, the implications can only be of global scale. (…) Together
with our allies and partners, we are deeply committed to outlining a complex diplomatic
response to this aggression that has tragic humanitarian consequences and
incalculable economic costs,’ foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu said.

AWARD The British PM Boris Johnson Tuesday presented the Ukrainian
president Volodymyr Zelensky with the Sir Winston Churchill leadership award,
news agencies report. The ceremony took place at 10 Downing Street, with
Mr. Zelensky attending by video link. Named
after one of Europe’s greatest war time leaders, the award is presented by the Churchill
International Society to honour personalities that have demonstrated
extraordinary leadership skills. Upon accepting the distinction, Volodymyr
Zelensky said that No one knows how much time and effort it will take to
achieve that victory, but the victory is worthwhile. This will become a joint
history, as prominent as it was during Churchill times.

COVID-19 Over 9,800 new SARS-CoV-2
infections were reported over the last 24 hours in Romania, out of some 30,000
tests, the authorities announced today. The number of Covid-19 patients in
hospitals has reached 3,570, with 233 patients in intensive care, and 29
COVID-related deaths were also reported. The health minister Alexandru Rafila said next week Romania might see 10,000 new cases daily. Although spreading
very quickly, this variant of the virus causes less severe forms of the disease.

EMPLOYMENT 70% of the Romanians working 2 jobs do so in order to
increase their incomes in the long run, according to a poll conducted by a
recruitment platform. According to experts, with remote work becoming
widespread, employees are more in control of their time and therefore they find
it easier to juggle with 2 jobs. Even so, most of them (72%) choose a part-time
second jobs. Asked what they find to be the most difficult when working 2 jobs,
6 out of 10 said keeping a balance between personal and professional life is
the biggest challenge. Over 52% of the respondents believe it is impossible to
have 2 jobs at the same time for more than a year. The poll was conducted in
July and involved 1,200 respondents.

WEATHER Bucharest and 14 counties in the south of Romania are today
under a code orange alert for extreme heat, with temperatures expected to reach
40 degrees Celsius in these regions according to the National Meteorology
Agency. Thermal discomfort is severe, with the temperature-humidity index (THI)
over 80. According to weather experts, periods of severe atmospheric
instability are also expected, first in the mountains and central Romania, and
later tonight in the south and south-east of the country as well. In Bucharest
at noon the temperature was 35 degrees Celsius. (AMP)