October 29, 2023 UPDATE

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Newsroom, 29.10.2023, 20:00

PARLIAMENT The Chamber of Deputies will discuss on
Monday the simple motion tabled by Save Romania Union and the Force of the
Right, in opposition in Romania, against the finance minister Marcel Boloş. The
Opposition argues that the enforcement of the new fiscal measures for which the
Government has taken responsibility before Parliament, will lead to tax
increases. The USR MP Claudiu Năsui says the Liberal finance minister chose to
triple taxes instead of cutting special pensions and to levy taxes on turnover,
which he believes will have countless negative effects on companies and
ultimately on consumers. The Chamber will vote on the motion on Tuesday. Also
early this week, the Senate will vote on a government emergency order
regulating the gambling sector. The document, which introduces an additional
tax for companies in the sector, has been passed by specialist committees. The
Senate is also to discuss a bill tabled by the Social Democratic MP Alfred
Simonis and banning the sale of electronic cigarettes and similar tobacco
products to minors.

SCHENGEN The Romanian MEP Eugen Tomac, the leader of the People’s
Movement Party, announced plans to appeal the EU Tribunal ruling dismissing his
claims regarding Austria’s alleged abuse of power with respect to Romania’s
Schengen accession. He said he would take the matter to the Court of Justice of
the European Union, and voiced hopes that the judges would approach the issue in
a more complex and more detailed manner, in line with the EU treaties and the
Schengen agreements. Moreover, Tomac said, Bucharest can only overcome the situation
by means of this appeal, in which the Romanian government would be a privileged
applicant. Austria opposes the Schengen accession of Romania and Bulgaria,
arguing that the 2 countries are on the EU illegal migration route, an
allegation disputed by the Romanian authorities and European institutions.
Vienna also believes the Schengen area as it is at present is ineffective and
said it would oppose any enlargement project.

VISIT
The European Commission vice-president for Values and Transparency, Věra
Jourová, will be on an official visit to Romania on Monday, when she will have
meetings with president Klaus Iohannis, PM Marcel Ciolacu and other Cabinet
members. According to the European Commission, the EU official will discuss the
rule of law and reforms in the judiciary, Romania’s goals in the digital
decade, the digitisation projects included in the National Recovery and
Resilience Plan, as well as AI and fighting disinformation.

ISRAEL
The president of France, Emmanuel Macron, and the British
PM Rishi Sunak emphasised, in a phone discussion on Sunday, the need for urgent
humanitarian support in Gaza Strip, after Israel announced stepping up its
military response to the Hamas attack of October 7. In turn, the US security
adviser called on the troops entering Gaza to make a distinction between
civilians and the Hamas terrorists, who are legitimate targets. Israel
announced that in the coming days it would allow a significant increase in aid
for the civilians in Gaza. The Israeli defence ministry asked Palestinian
civilians to move towards the south, to an area designated as humanitarian, where
aid will be delivered under a joint mechanism created by the US, Egypt and the
UN. Two aid convoys with foodstuffs, water and medicines entered the Rafah
terminal on Saturday night and Sunday morning. The UN secretary general,
Antonio Guterres, voiced his surprise at the escalation of Israel’s military
attack on the Gaza Strip after the UN General Assembly issued a resolution
calling for immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian
rallies were organised on Sunday as well in many cities in the world.

PEACE
The president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, attending a meeting in Malta,
called for a global model based on his 10-point plan for peace with Russia, Reuters
reports. An official list of the participants in the meeting is not yet
available, but attending were officials for European, South-American, Arab,
African and Asian countries. The plan includes clauses concerning the
restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, the pull-out of Russian troops,
protection of food and energy supplies, nuclear security and the release of all
prisoners. The co-chairs of the meeting, Ukraine and Malta, issued a joint
declaration that mentions the participants’ commitment to just and sustainable
peace, based on the UN Charter. The parties will take steps to arrange for a
possible peace summit at a later date.

GOVERNMENT PM Marcel Ciolacu announced that preparations have
started for drafting the 2024 public budget. The government will analyse the projects
and programmes that went well, as well as the investment applications for next
year. On the other hand, the PM dismissed the idea of other fiscal changes in
addition to the ones for which his Cabinet has taken responsibility before
Parliament. The law on measures to ensure Romania’s long-term financial
sustainability, promulgated by presidentKlaus Iohannis on Thursday, introduces new taxes and tax raises and cuts off tax facilities. Some
of the measures take effect on November 1, while the others will be enforced as
of January 1. Marcel Ciolacu also estimated that the new pensions law will be
endorsed in Parliament by the end of next month and will take effect on January
1, 2024. (AMP)