August 8, 2022
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 08.08.2022, 13:53
PLAN – Romania must have by 2027 some 2.6 million hectares of irrigable land for which 1.5 billion euros will be earmarked from the national budget, Agriculture Minister Petre Daea announced. In a post on a social network he wrote that the implementation of the government’s programme on upgrading the irrigation system must be done every day, without interruption. Almost 215,000 hectares of land in 25 Romanian counties have been affected by drought this year.
FINANCE — The monetary policy rate has been increased, as of today, by 0.75%, to 5.5% per year. This is the sixth increase in the key-interest this year, a tool by which the Romanian Central Bank tries to keep inflation in check. Before the decision announced by the Central bank on Friday, the 3-month ROBOR index went up from 8.11% to 8.12% per year, reaching 8.14% per year today. Financial experts are expecting this index to go up significantly, which will raise variable interest rates on loans. Interest rates on mortgage loans have gone up by more than 50% since the beginning of the year and have almost doubled as against six year ago. Inflation in July exceeded 15% and is expected to stand at this level in the third quarter. The Central Bank will present a new quarterly report on inflation on Tuesday.
FILM – Anonimul Independent International Film festival has kicked off today in Sfantu Gheorghe, the Danube Delta. The event, to last until Sunday, has opened with the film “Mariupolis 2”, the last film of Lithuanian director Mantas Kvedaravicius, captured by the Russian army and killed in the Ukrainian region of Mariupol. There are two competition sections for short and feature films and prizes are granted based on the vote of the audience. Romanian films awarded at international festivals will also be presented out of competition. All screenings are followed by meetings of filmmakers and public.
UKRAINE – U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has today called for international inspectors to be given access to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, after Ukraine and Russia accuse each other of shelling Europe’s largest atomic complex at the weekend, Reuters reports. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, on Sunday, accused Russia of waging “nuclear terror” that warranted more international sanctions, this time on Moscow’s sprawling nuclear power sector. Russian forces are now trying to gain full control of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region where pro-Moscow separatists seized territory after the Kremlin annexed Crimea to the south in 2014, Reuters reports.
WEATHER – A yellow code alert for heat valid for southern Romania is in place until Tuesday. There is high thermal discomfort and the temperature — humidity index exceeds 80 units. Maximum temperatures will generally range from 33 to 37 degrees Celsius. Meteorologists have also issued orange and yellow codes of atmospheric instability for three quarters of the country. Until August 10th thunderstorms will be present in the mountain areas particularly in the centre, south-west and north.
TRUCE — US President Joe Biden has welcomed Sunday night’s announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza-based Islamic Jihad. Mediated by Egypt, the truce ended the three days of hostilities triggered by the recent killing of a Jihadic Islam chief. Militants swore revenge and Israelis responded with air raids. President Joe Biden said he supports an investigation into information on civilian casualties. (EE)
