November 15, 2022 UPDATE

A roundup of local and international news.

Newsroom, 15.11.2022, 18:43

NATO — Romania is a highly appreciated NATO ally and has its contribution to common security, including at this pivotal moment, NATO Deputy Secretary General, Mircea Geoana, said in an online speech at an international conference on military issues held in Bucharest. “The Black Sea region has been the focal point, the bastion and platform for the launch of Russian aggression, that has built up until the war of today. Russia’s irresponsible and hostile behavior in the extended Black Sea region is highly impacting the Alliance’s security,” he said. Geoana thanked Romania ”for making possible the conditions for the export of Ukrainian products through its ports and across its territory.” According to the NATO official, the consolidated allied presence in Romania sends a clear message, namely, “we are here to defend Romania and every centimeter of allied territory.”

VISIT – Romanias Foreign Minister, Bogdan Aurescu, on Tuesday, during an official visit to Budapest, had a meeting with the Hungarian PM Viktor Orban. The two officials discussed about bilateral trade, stimulating Romanian investment in Hungary and Hungarian investment in Romania, the nearing signing in Bucharest, in December, of the documents needed for the Romania-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Hungary underwater electricity cable project as well as the project of a high speed railway between Bucharest and Budapest. PM Orban reiterated Hungary’s full support for Romania’s accession to the Schengen area. Also on Tuesday, Minister Bogdan Aurescu met with his Hungarian counterpart, Péter Szijjártó. Aurescus visit to Hungary marks a symbolic moment in bilateral relations between the two states, 20 years since the signing in Budapest of the Declaration for the Strategic Partnership between the Government of Romania and the Government of the Republic of Hungary for 21st-century Europe, a fundamental mechanism that shaped cooperation between the two countries in the modern era.

DEFENSE – Romanias Defense Minister, Angel Tîlvăr, is attending the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, in the Defense Ministers format. The main point on the agenda is the process of developing defense capabilities. Defense Ministers will be briefed regarding the latest operational developments, including the EUs recent military assistance mission targeting Ukraine. Talks will also address the overall security context affected by the Russian war in Ukraine. Attending will also be NATOs Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, and Ukraines Defense Minister, Oleksy Reznikov, the latter addressing the meeting via videoconference.

RECESSION – The Romanian Government has finalised the analysis for the last budget revision this year. According to a communiqué, this revision, which will be positive, is based on an increase of revenues to the consolidated budget by around 100 million euros. Also, the budget deficit goes down from 5.84% to 5.74%. According to a Eurostat report published on Tuesday, Romania reported the highest economic growth rate at EU level in the third quarter compared to the second one of 2022, of 1.3%. Our country also had the largest economic growth rate in the third quarter compared to the same period of last year (4.7%).

FORUM — The Romanian Parliament is hosting the Salzburg Forum, a two-day event organized by the Interior Ministry, which started on Tuesday. In the second half of 2022, Romania took over the presidency of the Forum, a regional mechanism for political consultation and multilateral cooperation. Specific panels will address hot topics such as managing the effects of the Russian aggression in Ukraine. Set up in 2000, the Salzburg Forum brings together Interior Ministers from Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary.

COMMEMORATION – Brașov in central Romania on Tuesday hosted events marking 35 years since the anti-communist uprising of industrial workers. Screenings, solemn civil and religious ceremonies were held on this occasion. In a solemn session on Monday, Parliament also commemorated the events of November 15, 1987. MPs said the workers displayed courage and dignity, and that their uprising weakened the communist regime and prepared the revolution of 1989. (EE)