June 11, 2024 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 11.06.2024, 20:00
ELECTIONS – The United Right Alliance (ADU) grabbed 27% of Sunday’s vote for the Bucharest City General Council, followed by the Social-Democratic Party (PSD) with 26.5% and the National Liberal Party (PNL) with over 12%, according to partial results published by the Permanent Election Authority. Nicușor Dan, an independent candidate backed by the United Right, won a new term as mayor general of Bucharest with 47% of the vote. The incumbent mayors of Bucharest Districts 1 and 2, Clotilde Armand and Radu Mihaiu, have invoked irregularities in the organization of Sunday’s ballot, calling for a recount amidst suspicion of fraud and threatening to file criminal complaints. At national level, PSD won the largest number of mayor offices, local and county councils, followed by their ruling coalition partners from PNL. Their alliance has grabbed nearly half of total votes. The ultra-nationalist AUR party came in second in the European Parliament election.
B9 – On the sidelines of the B9 summit in Riga, president Klaus Iohannis said Russia remains the biggest threat to European security, and that NATO states must be ready to act accordingly. The president co-chaired the summit alongside his counterparts from Latvia and Poland. B9 states on the NATO eastern flank should be prepared as regional developments demand increasing attention and coordination, the president also said. Klaus Iohannis added that support for Ukraine must continue for as long as it’s necessary, and that other vulnerable NATO partners, in particular the Republic of Moldova, should in turn benefit from assistance to consolidate resilience. Attending the Bucharest 9 summit in Riga was also the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. The meeting was held ahead of the NATO summit in Washington, marking 75 years since the establishment of NATO. B9 comprises Romania, Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Czechia, Slovakia and the Baltic States. The group was founded following Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 at the initiative of Poland and Romania with a view to consolidating security on NATO’s eastern flank.
UKRAINE – The two-day international conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine has kicked off in Berlin. Representing Romania is Foreign Minister, Luminița Odobescu. The conference brings together representatives of national governments and the private sector, including 10 heads of government. On the sidelines of the event, Germany’s Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, called on private businesses to help rebuild Ukraine at the end of the war. According to World Bank estimates, Ukraine will need 500 bln USD over the next 10 years. Referring to the incentive companies would need to invest in Ukraine, Chancellor Scholz spoke about Ukraine’s potential in such fields as renewable energies, IT and the pharmaceutical industry. Germany will send anti-air defense systems, missiles and ammo to help shore up Kyiv’s defenses against Russian attacks on cities and critical infrastructure. The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is also attending the conference in Berlin, where he is expected to hold talks with Olaf Scholz and other high-ranking German officials. On Saturday and Sunday, the Ukrainian president will travel to Switzerland to attend a high-level peace conference bringing together representatives from over 90 countries and organizations, with the exception of Russia and China.
CSAT – The president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, has called a meeting of the country’s Supreme Defense Council (CSAT) on June 20 in Bucharest. The agenda includes an analysis of the transfer of a PATRIOT system to Ukraine, as well as Romania’s objectives for the NATO summit in Washington. The Council will also discuss troops and equipment Romania can contribute to missions and operations outside its national territory in 2025, as well as about the status and prospects of the conflict in Ukraine in the wake of Russia’s unwarranted aggression that spells consequences for Romania as well. The Supreme Defense Councill will also examine other hot topics on the national security agenda.
ESTIMATES – Romania’s economy will report a 3.3% economic growth rate this year and 3.8% in 2025, similar to January forecast, the World Bank’s latest report published on Tuesday reads. According to the document, Romania’s GDP growth is also expected to stand at 3.8% in 2026. In May, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD modified its forecast on Romania’s economic growth in 2024, warning that taxation remains the biggest vulnerability. Romania’s GDP is expected to grow by 3.2% this year, in line with September 2023 estimates, EBRD officials say. In 2025, GDP growth is expected to stand at 3.4%. In turn, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has downgraded its estimate on Romania’s economic growth, from 3.8% in October 2023, to 2.8% according to its April forecast. (VP)
