December 11, 2023

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 11.12.2023, 13:55

BUDGET – The leaders of
ruling coalition parties PSD and PNL are today convening in separate sessions
to examine the draft budget for 2024. A vote has been called in Parliament on
December 22. Coalition leaders on Sunday discussed the final details before
making it public. Finance Minister Marcel Boloș said the coalition also
discussed the emergency decree on fiscal and budget measures, giving assurances
the state can sustain the increase in salaries and pensions.

PROTEST – Specialized and
auxiliary personnel in courts of law are holding protests over an indefinite
period of time starting today. A 4-hour strike will be organized in courts of
law on the day the budget for 2024 is due for voting. Trade unions have called
on the ruling coalition to immediately disburse funds for the payment of
salaries in November 2023, as per final rulings and payment orders issued in
2023. At the same time, unionists also want the budget for 2024 to set aside
clear-cut funds for the full payment of salary and other related rights.

FORUM – Interior Minister
Cătălin Predoiu is taking part in the Salzburg Forum, hosted by Slovenia on
Monday and Tuesday. The Forum will favor direct meetings with Austrian
officials, after Vienna showed the first signs of benevolence towards Romania’s
Schengen accession. Set up by Austria, the Forum includes Austria, Bulgaria,
Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.
Of these, only Romania and Bulgaria are not part of Schengen. According to
Austrian media, Austrian leaders have named three conditions for the Schengen
accession of Romania and Bulgaria consolidated border controls on the
Romanian-Bulgarian border, as well as on the Romanian-Hungarian border, EU
funds for streamlining the border protection infrastructure, and finally,
Romania and Bulgaria must take responsibility for any migrants illegally arriving
in Austria.

FAC – Romania’s Foreign
Minister, Luminița Odobescu, is today attending the EU Foreign Affairs Council
meeting hosted by Brussels. The agenda includes Russia’s aggression against
Ukraine, developments in Israel, Gaza and Sahel. On the sidelines of the
Council meeting, the Romanian official will attend an informal breakfast
meeting with the Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, as well as an
informal meeting with the representative of the Belarussian opposition,
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. The Council meeting will be followed by a meeting of
Eastern Partnership Foreign Ministers.

TIMIȘOARA – The Timișoara -
European Capital of Culture 2023 program ended last weekend with an air
acrobatics show, concerts and other events. Timișoara Mayor Dominic Fritz says
the cultural program has put the city in the spotlight, and will continue symbolically
under the slogan Never-ending Timișoara.

SWIMMING – David Popovici won
bronze in the 100m freestyle final held on Sunday at the European Short-Course
Swimming Championships hosted by Otopeni near Bucharest. On Friday, Andrei
Ungur won the first medal for Romania, scooping bronze in the 100m backstroke
event.

HANDBALL – The Romanian
women’s handball team is today playing Poland in its final match at the World
Handball Championships hosted by Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The Romanians
failed to qualify to the quarterfinals, which ensure qualification to the
pre-Olympic tournament. Romania is the only team that has taken part in all 26
editions of the World Championship. (VP)