July 1, 2022 UPDATE

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Newsroom, 01.07.2022, 20:00

SECURITY
NATO’s deputy secretary general Mircea Geoană said on Friday in Constanţa,
south-eastern Romania, that the Alliance would continue to support Ukraine and
that the Black Sea region remains a strategic one in the current military
context. He took part in the ‘Black Sea Security Summit’, co-chaired by the
Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu and the US Senator Roger Wicker.
Geoana also mentioned that Russia is the greatest threat at present, and that
China’s expansion is a challenge for NATO’s interests, values and security.
In turn, Bogdan Aurescu highlighted that trans-Atlantic coordination in the
face of the Russian aggression was flawless, and that it must remain so. If
president Putin sought to divide us, he failed, the Romanian diplomat pointed
out. Secretary of state Simona Cojocaru said Romania hailed Russian forces’
pull-out from the Serpent Island. Ukraine’s deputy defence minister Oleksandr
Polishchuk said Russia is willing to make compromises when it sees the free
world not only having the means to defeat an aggressor, but also ready to take
action and fight. The event in Constanta was held in Romania for the first
time, and is the first multi-lateral dialogue in this format between regional
allies and partners on the topic of security at the Black Sea.

BACCALAUREATE 75.2% of the
students sitting the Baccalaureate have passed the exam, the education minister
Sorin Cîmpeanu announced in Bucharest, after the appeals stage. This year over
49,000 appeals were submitted, fewer than last year, the education ministry
said. Prior to this stage, the pass rate in this summer’s exam was 73.3%, the
highest in the last 10 years, as minister
Cîmpeanu explained. Eighth-graders have already found out their results
in the national evaluation. The grades in this exam are the main criterion for
high school admission. Over 80% of the participants have passed, again a record for the past 10 years.

FUEL The authorities
in Bucharest Friday hailed the decision of the main oil companies operating in
Romania to lower the price for fuel in their stations by approximately EUR
0.10, in line with the Government’s emergency order. Energy minister Virgil
Popescu thanked the companies that volunteered to lower fuel prices. PM Nicolae
Ciucă also welcomed the decision, calling on fiscal and consumer protection
agencies to monitor fuel prices. Haulers will benefit from a partial subsidy for
fuel. The PM says the measure was designed to avoid the shortage and rationing
of fuel, as reported in other countries. Romania now has one of the lowest fuel
prices in Europe, with stations across the country selling standard diesel for
approximately EUR 1.7 and petrol for approximately EUR 1.6.

EMPLOYMENT Hiring new personnel
in public institutions and authorities in Romania is suspended until the end
of the year, under an emergency order issued recently by the government. However,
employment procedures started before 1 July will be completed. Other exceptions are
also possible, in cases that are thoroughly justified and in compliance with
personnel budgets. The government suspended hiring in the public sector in
order to reduce expenditure and meet the budget deficit target.

TENNIS Romania is left with only one player in the 3rd round of
the Wimbledon tournament: Simona Halep
(30 WTA). Halep will play on Saturday against Magdalena Frech (92 WTA) of
Poland. On Friday, Irina Begu left the competition after being defeated by
Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia, in 3 sets. (AMP)