October 6, 2015 UPDATE
Click here for a roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 06.10.2015, 12:05
The IMF has operated an upward adjustment of its forecasts regarding the increase of Romanias GDP this year and the next. According to the latest ‘World Economic Outlook released on Tuesday by the IMF, Romanias GDP is expected to go up 3.4% this year and 3.9% in 2016, as against the 2.7% and 2.9%, respectively, estimated in spring. On the other hand, in its financial stability report, the National Bank of Romania notes that the country is not facing severe systemic risks, in spite of the uncertainties related to the international economic context and the danger of a return to inadequate domestic economic policies. According to governor Mugur Isarescu, Romanias public debt is now sustainable, but the continued increase of the weight of the public debt in the GDP may become dangerous. Without financial stability, free market economy cannot work properly and efficiently, and fiscal relaxation becomes a “hoax, in that it reduces taxes, but triggers rises in inflation, depreciation rates and budget arrears, says Mugur Isarescu.
State Secretary for global affairs, Carmen Burlacu, received on Tuesday Riva Ganguly Das, the ambassador agree of the Republic of India, who presented her credentials. On this occasion, the two officials highlighted the positive dynamics of bilateral relations in recent years, emphasizing the multiple cooperation opportunities, as laid down in the joint declaration establishing an enhanced partnership between the two countries, signed in New Delhi on March 8, 2013.
The American anti-missile system in Deveselu, the military base in southern Romania that will become operational by the end of the year, is exclusively defensive in nature. It is designed to strengthen collective defence, a key mission of NATO, and to discourage ballistic attacks, the Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu said in Seville on Tuesday. He took part in the ‘2015 Multinational Ballistic Missile Defence’ Conference organised by the US Missile Defence Agency. According to the Romanian official, the Iranian ballistic programme is being developed and there are other state and non-state actors interested in obtaining or developing this technology. According to Bogdan Aurescu, Russias statements that the missile shield is useless are not justified. In Seville, the Romanian official had a meeting with the director of the US Missile Defence Agency, Vice-admiral James D. Syring.
Ukraine and the EU Tuesday welcomed the east Ukrainian separatists announcement that local elections in the regions they control will be postponed to 2016. Brussels views the decision as a “fundamental step towards the full implementation of the Minsk agreements. Alongside the recent agreement to pull out light weapons, this announcement gives fresh hope that the conflict may see a long-term political solution, a spokesperson for the EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has said. In a rare occurrence, Russia joined Ukraine and the EU in hailing the decision of the pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine. Since the beginning of the conflict, in April 2014, more than 8,000 people have died in that country.
Turkish military planes were again harassed at the Turkish-Syrian border, the Turkish Army announced on Tuesday. The incidents came after, late last week, Russian aircraft violated Turkeys air space, causing tensions between Russia and Turkey, a NATO member country. The President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, warned Moscow that this may undermine relations with his country and said Turkey will not have violations of its airspace go unanswered. Russia launched air strikes in Syria on September 30, but the West accuses Moscow of targeting the opponents of President Bashar al-Assad. Russia claims however that it targets IS sites and other extremist groups.
