October 4, 2023
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 04.10.2023, 14:24
COURT — Romania’s Constitutional Court postponed again, for Thursday, a decision regarding the law that allows people to cash in both a pension and a salary at the same time. This is the third postponement of the Court in connection with the notification made by the High Court of Cassation and Justice on this topic. The law refers to measures that allow people entitled to retirement to continue working. The High Court says that the document is unconstitutional in its entirety. In keeping with the law, state employees will not be allowed to cash in both a salary and a pension. People found in this situation will have 30 days to opt for one of the two rights. The law passed by Parliament on June 28 also provides for some exemptions. Thus, people elected in positions of authority or public dignity will be allowed to receive both the pension and the salary from the state. Of the nine judges of the Constitutional Court, six receive both the pension and the salary.
IMF — Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu is holding talks today with representatives of the International Monetary Fund, who have travelled to Bucharest for the annual assessment of the Romanian economy. The IMF team met Tuesday with the MPs from the budget-finance committees and highlighted two big problems: the increase in expenses and the low rate of labor force among the population. According to the commission members, the package of fiscal measures assumed by the Government seems to have the approval of the IMF experts.
TROOPS — Romania will deploy additional troops to Kosovo, after the North Atlantic Council green lighted the presence of more forces to manage the situation in the West Balkans. Romania already has around 250 soldiers in Bosnia and Herzegovina and 80 in Kosovo. On Tuesday, on the occasion of the Security Forum in Warsaw, the Romanian Minister of Defense, Angel Tîlvăr, said his country remains firmly committed to ensuring stability and security in the region.
TALKS – Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, participated, via conference call, at the invitation of the United States President, Joe Biden, in a new round of political consultations with the allied global leaders, in the context of the recent developments in Ukraine, including of attacks on civil infrastructure near Romania. Iohannis said that Russia must stop the attacks on the Ukrainian ports on the Danube and asked for the consolidation of NATO’s deterrence and defense posture on the eastern flank and the Black Sea. Iohannis also said that, at present, increased capabilities are needed for the detection and interception of drones, as well as for a stronger air defense. In his turn, President Biden reiterated his country’s commitment to the security of Romania and the other allies on the eastern flank, including the recent deployment of additional American F-16 fighter jets in Romania.
PRICES – House prices dropped by 1.1% in the European Union in the second quarter of 2023, compared to the same period in 2022, according to data made public by Eurostat. This is the first year-on-year decrease since the first quarter of 2014. Nine EU countries recorded lower prices in the second quarter of 2023 than in the previous year, but in the other 17 member states, house prices keep going up. The sharpest decrease was recorded in Germany – almost 10% – and the most significant increase was recorded in Croatia – 13.7%. Romania reported an advance of just 0.1% in the second quarter of 2023, after a 4.6% increase in the first three months of this year. (EE)
