July 15, 2024 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
România Internațional, 15.07.2024, 20:00
HEAT WAVE – A code red alert remains in place for the next 24 hours in Romania, with severe thermal discomfort reported during the interval and the THI expected to exceed 80 units. Thunderstorms are expected to hit mountainous areas, accompanied by strong wind and hail. Authorities are taking measures to protect the population from the effects of the heat wave. Road traffic restrictions have been set in place on certain road segments, particularly for heavy traffic, while trains will run at lower speeds.
ENERGY – Romania increased its electricity output by 400 MW amidst growing energy demand, Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja said at the end of the Energy Ministry Committee meeting. Despite high temperatures and the high demand for electricity at present, there is no risk of blackouts, the Romanian official pointed out, adding that certain works on the electrical grid have been postponed to prevent power cuts. As regards energy prices, Burduja said Romania’s access to energy imports offsets price hikes, although it is normal for prices to go up when demand is high. Right now, Romania’s energy input is by 1,000 MW higher than domestic production, mostly due to the near-continuous functioning of air-conditioning appliances, the Association of Energy Prosumers and Communities says. On the other hand, Romania’s primary energy resources dropped by 5%, while its electricity resources also went down 2.4% in the first five months of the year compared to the similar period of 2023, the National Statistics Institute reports.
FDI – Foreign direct investments from non-Romanian residents went up by over 35% in the first five months of the year compared to the similar period of 2023, exceeding 3.3 bln EUR, the National Bank of Romania reports. Some 2,900 entities with foreign capital were set up in Romania during the interval, down by 1.2% compared to the first five months of 2023, according to Trade Registry data. 26% of enterprises with foreign capital were registered in the fields of wholesale and retail, car and motto repairs, followed by professional, administrative, scientific and technical activities with 21.5%, transport, storage and communication with 17.8%. At the end of May 2024, over 254 thousand companies with foreign capital operated in Romania, with the total value of subscribed capital standing at over 70.6 bln USD.
BEAR HUNTING – The Chamber of Deputies on Monday approved a draft law tabled by UDMR amending legislation on bear hunting, a document voted last year by the Senate. Under the new law, some 400 brown bears can be shot over 2024-2025, mostly in Covasna, Brașov, Harghita and Mureș counties. The initiative follows last week’s tragedy, when a 19-year-old girl was mauled down by a bear on a popular hiking trail. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu gave assurances the amendment will not greenlight bear hunting, as some NGOs fear, as the legislative initiative was designed to prevent bear attacks and damages in human settlements.
WAR IN UKRAINE – Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has for the first time agreed to Moscow participating in a new international peace summit, which he wants to host. According to international media, the second summit is expected to pick up talks held last month in Switzerland, when Moscow was not invited to attend. Zelenskyy is expected to propose a new peace plan, which Kyiv will finalize by November. We recall Moscow rejected the peace plan announced by president Zelenskyy in Switzerland, calling on Kyiv to renounce the four territories annexed by Russia in addition to Crimea and demanding guarantees Ukraine would not join NATO.
TRUMP – Former US president Donald Trump on Monday scored another legal victory after a Florida judge dismissed the criminal case accusing Trump of keeping classified documents after leaving the White House. Prosecutors are likely to appeal the ruling. Trump was brought to court along with two of his personal assistants for manipulating sensitive national security documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Donald Trump hailed the court ruling on his social network, Truth Social, describing it as “just the first step”, calling for the dismissal of all four criminal cases against him. The former White House leader was accused of having compromised national security by keeping the documents, which included military plans and information on nuclear weapons, instead of handing them over to the National Archives, as stipulated by the law. Another law on espionage prevents officials from keeping confidential documents in unauthorized and insecure places. Donald Trump is also accused of having tried to destroyed case evidence, and faces a prison sentence of up to 10 years. (VP)
