November 12, 2024 UPDATE
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 12.11.2024, 20:00
VISIT Romania’s PM Marcel Ciolacu is on official visit to the UK on Tuesday and Wednesday, where he has meetings with the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, and the Lord Mayor of London, Alastair King. According to a Government press release, PM Marcel Ciolacu will also attend the Romania-UK Economic Forum, and will meet with members of the Romanian community. “The government is interested in consolidating the Strategic Partnership with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in all fields of bilateral interest, responding to changing challenges and opportunities. The Romanian community in the UK is big, and fostering the rights of our compatriots is a key pillar of bilateral cooperation”, PM Marcel Ciolacu said. This is the first visit of a Romanian Prime Minister to the UK in 17 years.
EC Roxana Mînzatu, nominated by Romania for European commissioner, said during her interview by the European Parliament’s specialist committees that Europeans will face many challenges in the coming years, and they need to be prepared for this, which is the first pillar of her programme. The second pillar, which she described as a key one, concerns quality jobs. The third element of her term in office is social justice. Roxana Mînzatu, nominated for executive vice-president of the EC for people, skills and preparedness, has been interviewed by the members of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and the Committee on Culture and Education. Roxana Mînzatu, 44, was a state secretary with the Ministry for European Funds in March-September 2015. In 2016-2020, she was a member of the Romanian Parliament, and in 2019 she also served as Minister for European Funds. In June this year she was also elected MEP, backed by the Social Democratic Party. Roxana Mînzatu has a Bachelor’s degree in political sciences and a Master’s degree in European integration.
ELECTION Some 200 postal votes for the parliamentary and presidential election in Romania have already arrived from Romanians living abroad and will be counted together with the other votes, the chairman of the Permanent Election Authority (AEP), Toni Greblă, has said. 6,650 citizens have requested to vote by post and must send their options no later than two days before the start of the vote in the country. The first round of the presidential election is slated for November 24, the second round for December 8, while the parliamentary election will take place on December 1.
INFLATION The annual inflation rate climbed from 4.62% in September to 4.67% in October, the National Statistics Institute reports. Food prices went up by 4.75%, while prices for non-food products also increased by 3.45%. Service prices also went up 7.66%. The National Bank of Romania has adjusted its inflation estimate for the end of 2024, from 4% previously to 4.9%. The Bank expects the inflation rate to go down to 3.5% at the end of 2025, according to a report made public by Governor Mugur Isărescu this Monday. On the other hand, Romania’s trade deficit went up 15% in the first 9 months of 2024, reaching some EUR 23.5 bln, the National Statistics Institute reports. Exports have exceeded EUR 69 bln, a 1.4% drop, while imports totaled nearly EUR 93 bln, accounting for a 2.3% increase.
GOTECH WORLD Officials and representatives of the business sector took part in the opening of GoTech World 2024, an event hosted by Bucharest over November 12-13. This year’s edition of B2B Expo brings together over 120 experts from the sector and nearly 100 exhibitors. Organizers expect a turnover of some 15,000 guests. GoTech World (previously known as Internet & Mobile World) is the biggest conference and expo in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as a regional hub for digital economy, providing professionals in the region with access to B2B tech solutions, insights into various digital fields and networking opportunities. (VP, AMP)
