July 19, 2023 UPDATE

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Newsroom, 19.07.2023, 20:00

WEATHER Extreme temperatures are still forecast in most of Romania,
particularly in the south and east, where the temperature-humidity index will be above
the critical 80% ceiling. The highs are expected to range between 25 and 37
degrees Celsius. Most regions will also be facing atmospheric instability, with
heavy rainfalls, thunderstorms and wind. Code yellow and code orange alerts are
in place in the west of the country, where strong wind, thunderstorms, hail and
heavy rainfalls are expected.

FIREFIGHTERS On Wednesday Romania sent another 40 firefighters and
several fire engines to Greece, where the authorities requested international
assistance under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The decision to send
additional intervention equipment and personnel was made by the Romanian
government. Romania has deployed a total of 13 fire engines and 80 fire
fighters, after the Greek authorities issued a code-red alert for extreme heat
across the country, with temperatures of 42 degrees Celsius expected to
contribute to the spreading of wildfires. The Romanian fire fighters are to
stay in Greece until August 1.

CLIMATE The UN says humanity must prepare for more intense heat
waves and recommends that citizens develop their own battle plan to
face these extreme day and night temperatures. In North America, Asia, North
Africa and the Mediterranean, temperatures will keep exceeding 40 degrees
Celsius in the coming days. According to experts, heat-trapping greenhouse gas
emissions are at the origin of climate change. Italy is subject to new alerts for
particularly hot weather, while several regions in Spain have been placed under
code red alerts due to the extreme danger induced by the heat wave.

GOVERNMENT The new minister for labour and
social solidarity, Simona Bucura-Oprescu, and the new minister for family,
youth and equal opportunities, Natalia Intotero, were sworn in on Wednesday in
a ceremony held at Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest. Oprescu replaces Marius
Budăi, and Intotero takes over from Gabriela Firea, who resigned following a
scandal concerning abuse in care homes for the elderly. The appointment decrees
were signed by president Klaus Iohannis earlier on Wednesday.

MEETING The PM of Romania Marcel Ciolacu had an informal meeting
with the PM of Hungary, Viktor Orban, during a private visit by Orban to Romania. According
to a news release issued by the government, Marcel Ciolacu emphasised that the
Romanian party is seeking to maintain an open, positive, and constructive
approach in the relations between the 2 countries. He welcomed Budapest’s
support for Romania’s Schengen accession efforts, and voiced hopes that Hungary
would remain an ally in this respect for Romania. The 2 officials also
exchanged views on the topic of the EU’s current priorities, ahead of Hungary taking
over the presidency of the EU Council in January 2024.

GRAIN Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and
Slovakia would like the ban on Ukrainian grain imports to be extended at least
until the end of the year, the agriculture ministers of the 5 countries announced
on Wednesday after a meeting in Warsaw. They signed a
joint statement on the need to extend the EU preventive measures concerning the
imports of wheat, maze, rape
and sunflower seeds from Ukraine. In the same statement, the signatories also
suggest that the list of products subject to the preventive measures remain
open. According to a news release issued by the Romanian agriculture ministry,
the participants sought a joint approach to the problems facing the farmers in
these countries, which will be presented in the forthcoming AgriFish Council
meeting. Romania was represented by the agriculture minister Ionut Barbu. Meanwhile, Reuters reports, an official letter from
the Ukrainian government says Ukraine is currently working on defining a
temporary maritime transport route via Romanian territorial waters, to continue
to export grain via Black Sea ports. On Tuesday Russia pulled out of the
agreement allowing safe passage to Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea. (AMP)