December 12, 2022

A roundup of local and international news.

Newsroom, 12.12.2022, 13:55

Talks.
Romanian president Klaus Iohannis is today receiving the president of the Swiss
Confederation Ignazio Cassis. They will discuss
bilateral relations and economic cooperation, with emphasis on boosting
investments and identifying new areas of cooperation, and will exchange views
on the latest international developments, including the war in Ukraine and its
implications for the energy market and global security. Romanian-Swiss
cooperation, including during Switzerland’s upcoming mandate as a non-permanent
member of the UN Security Council in 2023-2024. A ceremony will also be held to
mark the signing of the Romanian-Swiss framework agreement on reducing economic
and social disparities in the European Union.
President Ignazio Cassis is also meeting prime minister Nicolae Ciucă
and Her Majesty Margareta, the Custodian of the Romanian Crown.

Budget. Parliament’s joint specialist committees have begun approving the ministries’ budgets. The Social Democratic Party, the National Liberal Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania said the budget bill is based on record high investments and accounts for 7.2% of GDP. It takes into account an economic growth rate of 2.8% of GDP, an annual inflation rate of 8%, a growing number of people in employment and a lower unemployment rate of 2.7%. The ministries for energy, justice and healthcare are earmarked to receive less money, while the budgets of the ministries of defence, development, transport and education are to grow. The opposition has criticised the budget bill. The Save Romania Union says the government’s forecasts are too optimistic and the figures are inflated, while the Alliance for the Union of Romanians is unhappy with the underfunding of some ministries. Both the power and the opposition have submitted amendments. The final vote is due on Thursday.

EU.
Romania’s foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu is today attending a meeting of the EU’s Justice and Home Affairs Council. The
agenda includes ways to counteract the effects of the Russian aggression
against Ukraine, the situation in the Republic of Moldova in this context, a
subject included on the agenda of talks at Romania’s request, the situation in
Iran, human rights issues, the latest developments in the southern
neighbourhood and the situation in Tunisia. Informal talks will also be held on
the sidelines of the meeting on the future of the Eastern Partnership held at
the initiative of minister Aurescu together with his counterparts from the
Czech Republic, Sweden and Poland, and which are expected to help outline a clear
and unified position from the European Union on the future of the Eastern
Partnership and to generate ideas to revitalise it in a practical and efficient
manner. A ministerial meeting of the Eastern Partnership is also scheduled to
take place today, to be attended by the Romanian foreign minister alongside
foreign ministers of EU member states, as well as those of partner states
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, The Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.

Agriculture.
The Romanian agriculture minister Petre Daea is today attending a meeting of
the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels. According to a statement
from the agriculture ministry, the talks are focusing on important aspects for
the Romanian agricultural sector, such as the situation of the market, the
Common Agricultural Policy strategic plans, animal welfare and the fishing
opportunities for next year. The EU ministers are also discussing the progress
of the new EU 2030 strategy for forests and the actions taken at EU and
national level, as well as the current situation on EU markets, the energy
crisis and the fertiliser crisis, the high production costs and the pressure
exerted by the crisis on farmers and consumers.

Media.
Radio Romania is today hosting a meeting of the Permanent Conference of the Mediterranean Audiovisual Operators
(COPEAM). Attending are representatives of the radio and television stations
from the organisation’s member states, from Croatia, Italy, France, Palestine,
Spain and Turkey. Radio Romania has been a member of the executive board since
2009 and the projects carried out in partnership have grown in over a decade of
collaboration, providing many opportunities for exchanges of programmes and
experience. Over 60 media institutions are members of the Permanent Conference of the Mediterranean Audiovisual Operators,
an organisation whose aim is to develop cooperation projects in the area of the
audiovisual and coproduction programmes, with special focus on the training of
journalists and encouraging innovation and creativity in the region. The
organisation also supports campaigns alongside UNESCO, the UN Agency for
Refugees, the UN Alliance of Civilisations and the UN Food and Agriculture
Organisation. (CM)