September 2, 2024
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 02.09.2024, 14:00
Parliament. The final session of the current Parliament began today, with parliamentary elections due to take place on 1st December. The agenda features, among others, a bill on tax exemptions for pensions below 600 euros, which will be debated as part of an emergency procedure by the Chamber of Deputies, the decision-making body in this case. The bill allow persons who have benefited from pension increases as a result of recalculations not to lose money following the raising of the current tax ceiling of 400 euros. The ruling coalition formed by the Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party agreed to fast-track the bill through Parliament, for it to be able to go into effect in October.
Government. In its Monday meeting, the government issued an emergency order to raise the ceiling for the social benefits granted to low-income pensioners whose pensions went up as a result of recent recalculations. The ceiling by which food allowances will be granted is to go up from 2,000 to 2,210 lei, that is some 440 euros. An allowance of 1,400 lei to help with utility bills during winter will continue to be granted, regardless of the pension rises. The ceiling was also raised by which pensioners can benefit from 90% subsidies on medicines. In another move, the government is to start consultations with the representatives of people with disabilities to draft a special pensions law for this category that takes into account the low contribution levels recognised previously.
Drills. Romanian military are taking part in the Ample Strike international exercise under way in Czechia until the 20th of September. They will carry out air support and air surveillance missions alongside other NATO troops. According to the Romanian defence ministry, 25 military and two helicopters are taking part in the exercise.
Ukraine. Russia on Monday morning struck Ukraine’s capital Kyiv, with parts of the downed weapons wounding at least two persons, causing fires and damaging homes and infrastructure, Ukrainian officials announced, quoted by Reuters. Ukraine’s air defence destroyed over 10 cruise missiles and almost 10 ballistic missiles, said the city’s military administration. Neighbouring Poland, which is a NATO member country, activated its own and allied aircraft to secure its airspace. The attack took place exactly one week after Moscow launched over 200 missiles and drones against Ukraine, killing seven people and striking energy facilities across the country.
Pope. Pope Francis today embarks on his 45th apostolic trip abroad. He is to visit Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore, states marked by strong religious, economic and social contrasts. Immigration, inter-faith dialogue, the environment and the role of the Church with regard to access to healthcare and education are the main themes the pontiff will tackle in his talks and speeches. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in Rome, in Indonesia, the world’s biggest Muslim country, the pontiff will speak about the dialogue between Islam and Christianity. An inter-faith meeting will take place on 5th September in the biggest mosque in South-East Asia, in the presence of representatives of six official religions, with the Pope to sign on this occasion a joint declaration together with the Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar. Pope Francis is the third pope to visit this archipelago, after Paul the 6th and John Paul 2nd.
Weather. A yellow code warning is in place today warning of heat and high thermal discomfort in the western part of the country, where the highs of the day are between 32 and 35 degrees Celsius. An orange code is also in place in four counties in the western part, where temperatures are expected to reach 35 to 37 degrees Celsius. On Tuesday, the heat wave will spread to the entire country. In the capital Bucharest, the noon reading today was 32 degrees Celsius.
