October 27, 2023 UPDATE
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 27.10.2023, 20:03
DECISIONS – The European Union will continue to support Ukraine with substantial funds. It is one of the decisions taken on Friday, in Brussels, on the second day of the European Council. Ukraine remains a priority for the European Union, proof of that being the fact that most funds from the multiannual budget revision will go into helping Kyiv, in this case 50 billion euros. The European Council President, Charles Michel, said that another priority is the prevention of terrorism and of other extremist actions in the community area, against the background of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, but also in the context of the pressure to which the Union is subjected to, due to increasing migration. Another concern of the EU is the relationship between Kosovo and Serbia, which is increasingly tense. A third topic of the Council meeting was Europes economic situation, and its goal to be a leader not only in terms of green technologies, but also as regards technologies in general. Romania was represented at the European Council by President Klaus Iohannis, who reiterated the need to continue supporting Ukraine, as long as needed. He spoke in favor of a clear and united vision, at EU level, on the situation in the Middle East and emphasized the importance of avoiding the escalation of the conflict. Iohannis also emphasized the need to review the EU budget, so as to reflect the new challenges.
ORDER – The Bucharest Government on Friday adopted an emergency order that extends by three months the cap on the price of basic food products and expanded the list of such products. The Government also green lighted a project to reduce spending by local and central public authorities. Finance Minister, Marcel Boloş, announced that the budget deficit is now 3.55% of the GDP and that the target remains at 4.4% at the end of the year. He explained that, in the past years, budget expenditure with goods and services in the last two months of the year increased three, four or five times compared to the previous months. That is why it was decided that this year, the respective expenses cannot exceed the average of the previous months.
ATTACK IN THE US – Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis, has conveyed a message of condolence to his American counterpart Joe Biden in the wake of the armed attack in Lewiston, Maine. Romania stands with the American citizens and the families of the victims, to whom we convey our compassion. We also wish speedy recovery to the wounded, the president’s message reads. At least 22 people were killed and dozens of others were wounded in an armed attack in Maine, where the suspect is still at large.
FEAST DAY – Orthodox Christians in Romania on Friday marked the feast day of Saint Demetrius of Basarabov, also known as Saint Demetrius the New, the patron saint of Bucharest. A pilgrimage to his relics and the reliquary of Saint Demetrius of Thessaloniki brought over from Greece continues in the capital-city. Saint Demetrius the New lived south of the Danube in present-day Bulgaria. After his death, his relics were found by locals after the saint appeared in the dream of an ill young girl, indicating the place where his body lay. The relics were given to Romania as a gift during the Russian-Turkish War, in 1774.
DST – Daylight Saving Time ends on October 29 in Romania, when 4AM will become 3AM, making Sunday the longest day of the year. In 2023, Romania switched to DST on March 26 to benefit from daylight. (EE)
