June 21, 2022

A roundup of local and international news.

Newsroom, 21.06.2022, 13:16

FINANCE – Through a draft normative act launched in public debate by the Finance Ministry, the Bucharest Government wants to give natural persons and legal entities significantly affected by the rise in prices the option of having their interest rates postponed. If the normative act is passed, interest rates can be postponed for 1 up to 9 months for legal entities whose average monthly turnover has decreased by at least 25% and for natural persons whose average monthly expenditure went up by at least 25%, following the rise in prices.

BACCALAUREATE – The written tests of the Baccalaureate exam are held this week. Over 126 thousand high school graduates have signed up for the exam, the smallest number since 1989. On Monday, students had the Romanian language and literature test while today they have the specialty exam. On Wednesday, students will hold the exam in a subject matter of their choice. A simple motion tabled by USR, in opposition, and debated by the MPs on Monday, accuses the Education Ministry, the Liberal Sorin Cimpeanu, of being responsible for what the motions initiators define as “the disaster in the Romanian education system, for the worrying school dropout rates and for changes in the ways students are assessed without any consultations the parties involved. The vote has been scheduled for Wednesday.

I3S – Ukraine needs the support of the Three Seas Initiative (I3S) and of the participant countries, said Romanian President Klaus Iohannis at a briefing at the end of the I3S Forum held in Riga, Latvia. Polish president, Andrej Duda, has announced that Ukraine has received the status of partner of the Tree Seas Initiative, while Latvian President, Egils Levits, said Ukraine will be supported in its bid to become a EU member. Participants in the summit have signed a joint declaration showing their support for Ukraine in a number of sectors and the intention to consolidate the Three Seas Initiative.

FRANCE – French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday rejected a resignation offer from his prime minister, Elisabeth Borne, ahead of talks with the opposition seeking to end the deadlock triggered by the failure of his centrist-Liberal coalition to secure a majority in parliamentary elections. Pundits anticipate a period of instability in France, given that Macrons Together alliance won only 245 parliamentary seats, of the total 577.

REFUGEES – The Romanian Border Police has announced today that 96,895 people, of whom 10,735 Ukrainians, entered Romania on Monday. Some 6,353 Ukrainian citizens entered Romania from Ukraine and 1,097 crossed the border into Romania from Moldova. Around 1,261,713 Ukrainian citizens have entered Romania since February 24 up to present.

FOOTBALL – Romanias U19 national football squad will be up against Slovakia this evening in Paris, in group A of the European U19 Championship. France defeated Slovakia on Saturday, 5-0, while Italy beat Romania 2-1. The first two teams of the group qualify to the semifinals and to next years World Cup. (EE)