June 12, 2024
Click here for a roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 12.06.2024, 13:55
ELECTIONS The alliance comprising the Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party (currently in power in Romania) carried close to 49% of the votes in Sunday’s elections for the European Parliament, according to partial data released by the Central Electoral Bureau. Next came AUR party with nearly 15%, the United Right Alliance with 8.6 %, the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania with 6.5% and SOS Romania party with 5%. One of the 33 MEPs to represent Romania in the European Parliament is non-affiliated. Local elections were also held in Romania on Sunday, with the Social Democrats winning the mayor and county council elections, followed by their Liberal partners and by the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians. In Bucharest, the incumbent mayor general, Nicuşor Dan, has won a new term in office, with the United Right Alliance and the Social Democrats securing the most seats in the Bucharest city council.
INFLATION In Romania, the year-on-year inflation rate dropped from 5.9% in April to 5.12% in May, as foodstuff prices went up 1.24%, non-food prices rose by 6.38%, and services are 9.29% more expensive, the National Statistics Institute announced on Wednesday. The National Bank adjusted the inflation forecast for this year to 4.9%, from 4.7% previously, and expects the indicator to reach 3.5% by the end of 2025. Meanwhile, net investments in the national economy totalled some EUR 7 bln in the first quarter of the year, up 6.7% as compared to Q1, 2023, the institution also reports.
UKRAINE As many as 95 investment projects are being discussed at the International Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin. Today, the participants discuss the funding for these reconstruction projects. So far the European Commission has announced agreements with various banks amounting to EUR 1.4 bln, and a EUR 1.9 bln assistance package. The German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy Tuesday called for the consolidation of air defence in the face of Russian attacks. Attending the conference, the Romanian foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu said Bucharest supported Ukraine with electricity and was working to improve inter-connection. Bucharest has a regional approach, which also includes the neighbouring Republic of Moldova, Luminiţa Odobescu pointed out. The agenda of the conference in Berlin also includes Ukraine’s EU accession. We have more details after the news.
NATO The German Armed Forces are contributing 2 operations centres and a PATRIOT combat squadron to NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence international exercise Ramstein Legacy 24, held in Romania and Bulgaria. According to the German Embassy in Bucharest, roughly 260 German troops and 100 vehicles traveled to the Romanian Black Sea coast. “We stand strong with our Allies to ensure the security of Romania and of our entire Allied territory,” the German Ambassador to Bucharest, Peer Gebauer, said after visiting the German military. After Romania and Bulgaria, Germany is the biggest troop contributor in this week’s exercise, alongside units from France, Finland, the UK, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Turkey and Hungary near Constanţa, in south-eastern Romania. Units from Greece, Italy and Slovenia are also taking part in the Bulgarian section of the exercise, which is designed to improve interoperability and help integrate the NATO air defence forces into the NATO common air defence command structure.
CONCERT The British alternative rock band Coldplay perform in Bucharest today and tomorrow. Some 50,000 fans are expected to attend each of the two concerts held on the National Arena as part of the band’s “Music Of The Spheres” world tour.
FOOTBALL Romania’s football team is in Wurzburg, Bavaria, where they will stay during the European Football Championship hosted by Germany and due to start on Friday, June 14. Romania plays in Group E and will take on Ukraine on June 17 in Munich, on Belgium on June 22 in Cologne, and on Slovakia, on June 26, in Frankfurt. Romania last took part in a European championship final tournament in 2016, in France. (AMP)
