January 12, 2024 UPDATE
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 12.01.2024, 19:43
BANK – The Board of Directors of the National Bank of Romania (BNR) decided to maintain the monetary policy interest rate at 7% per year. It is the same level that was kept unchanged throughout last year. According to analysts, the Central Bank may agree on a first cut in interest rate given the slowdown of the economic growth rate and a drastic reduction in lending. On the other hand, the National Institute of Statistics announced that the annual inflation rate went down slightly in December, to 6.61%, from 6.72% in November. Also, the average inflation rate calculated for the entire 2023 compared to 2022 went down to 10.4%, from 13.8%.
HEALTHCARE – In the context of intense pressure from the healthcare system, the government decided to organize contests to fill more than 7,600 vacancies in medical units with staff shortages. 2,500 of the posts are for doctors while 365 people can be employed at ambulance services. The healthcare units that requested the organization of vacancy-filling contests need to immediately start the necessary procedures. The social-democratic Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu underlined that the budget of the Health Ministry is 40% higher than last year. He also said that each vacancy filled must be reflected in better services for patients.
PROTESTS – In Romania, transporters continue the protests that started on Wednesday. Dozens of trucks and tractors are moving at low speed on Bucharest’s ring road making traffic difficult, after the past few days they protested on several roads in the country. Transporters started spontaneous protests, being dissatisfied with the evolution of the car insurance price, but also with the increase in fees, taxes and fuel prices. A spontaneous protest by farmers takes place in Nadlac customs in western Romania. Dozens of tractors and farming machines hamper traffic at the border. According to the Radio Romania correspondent, they are asking the government for help regarding the unfair competition of grain imports from Ukraine. Drivers with over 700 vehicles are protesting in 12 Romanian counties. Their representatives were invited to the government, for discussions with the Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu.
EU – Romania has a real chance to occupy an important position at European level, says the countrys prime minister Marcel Ciolacu, referring to the scenario in which president Klaus Iohannis may take over the presidency of the European Council following the resignation of Charles Michel. According to the Romanian media, Iohannis has a chance to occupy this top European position as EU leaders are trying to prevent Hungarys Viktor Orban from taking over. If Iohannis steps down before the end of his term, the Senate speaker, a position currently held by the Liberal leader Nicolae Ciucă, is to serve as interim. Romania will this year see presidential, as well as parliamentary, European and local elections.
FOOTBALL – The Romanian international Radu Drăguşin signed up with the London side Tottenham Hotspur until 2030. He was transferred from the Italian Serie A team Genoa for 30 million euros, thus becoming the most expensive Romanian football player in history. According to the BBC, Drăguşin is the second player recruited by Tottenham this winter, after the German striker Timo Werner, who came from RB Leipzig. (EE)
