November 3, 2023
Click here for a roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 03.11.2023, 13:55
STRIKE Romanian public health insurance personnel have suspended relations with the public indefinitely, because their salaries have not been increased for over 6 years. The protest disrupts services to patients and it might jeopardise the disbursement of expenses incurred by healthcare service providers, the head of the National Trade Union Bloc Dumitru Costin explained. He said the National Health Insurance Agencys budget can cover the requested pay raises, but that the measure must be endorsed in Parliament, where a bill in this respect has been pending for a long period and is currently stuck in the Chamber of Deputies. The health minister Alexandru Rafila said suspending the provision of healthcare services is unacceptable, and that he hoped for a dialogue between the management and the staff of the National Health Insurance Agency.
BUDGET The ruling coalition have started talks on next years public budget. The government has approved a memorandum drawn up by the finance ministry, which lists the significant public investment projects on which the budget will be based. The transportation ministry has the largest number of projects in the list, i.e. 108 projects in various implementation stages, which means this ministry will receive the largest appropriations in the 2024 budget.
HOSTAGES The Romanian foreign ministry announced that checks conducted by the Romanian authorities based on the information provided by Israel indicate that another person with dual (Romanian and Israeli) citizenship and living in Israel is a hostage in the Gaza Strip. The foreign ministry also announced that the Romanian Embassy in Tel Aviv and the Romanian Consulate in Haifa are in touch with the Israeli authorities. So far 4 people with Romanian and Israeli citizenship are known to be held hostage by the Hamas terrorists.
ISRAEL The US secretary of state Antony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv on Friday morning to persuade Israel to ensure the protection of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip. This is Blinkens second trip to the Middle East since the Hamas Islamists attacked Israel on October 7. International mass media report that the US diplomacy chief will have meetings with the Israeli PM, Benjamin Netanyahu, and with members of his security cabinet. From Israel, Blinken is to travel next to neighbouring Jordan. Meanwhile, Israel announced that its forces have surrounded Gaza City, the largest urban centre in Gaza and previously controlled by Hamas.
BOOK FAIR The Gaudeamus Radio Romania Book Fair invites book lovers to Timişoara, a European Capital of Culture in 2023. The fair takes place until Sunday, and it brings together scores of publishers presenting their most recent releases, best-sellers, special offers and discounts. Todays most eagerly awaited event is the launch of a volume of dialogues between Robert Şerban and the contemporary Romanian poet Şerban Foarţă. Q&A sessions with writers, roundtables and book signing events are also scheduled. The Timisoara-based writer Patricia Lidia released a volume entitled “Adventures in Brancusis World,” an event that complements the exhibition devoted to the great Romanian-born sculptor opened these days at the National Art Museum in Timişoara. (AMP)
