September 26, 2023 UPDATE
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 26.09.2023, 19:45
FIGHTER JETS – The permanent offices of the Bucharest Chamber of Deputies and the Senate took notice, on Tuesday, of the Defence Ministry’s request to approve the purchase of 32 American F-35 fighter jets. In the official request, the Defence Ministry emphasised the fact that, in keeping with the objectives of the country’s defence policy, it continues to purchase new military equipment in order to strengthen its defence capacities, aimed at discouraging a possible aggression and in keeping with its commitments within NATO.
BUDGET — The Bucharest Government assumed responsibility in Parliament for the package of fiscal measures aimed at reducing the budget deficit. PM Marcel Ciolacu presented the most important measures and their objectives. The new fiscal measures will boost economic development and ordinary people will not have to pay any additional taxes, according to PM Ciolacu. The opposition can file a no-confidence motion within three days of the presentation of the bill in Parliament. Among other provisions, the bill eliminates a number of tax reliefs for IT and agriculture workers and introduces a turnover tax for big companies and banks. The Economic and Social Committee, an independent body, has warned that covering the budget deficit through higher taxes for the private sector may have adverse effects.
VISIT – The rapid reaction of NATO and its allies, at Romanias request, to the recent incidents with drones that also affected Romania’s territory was “exemplary” and proves once again NATOs ability to ensure the defense of every centimeter of allied territory. The statement was made on Tuesday by the Romanian Foreign Minister, Luminiţa Odobescu, during the meeting with her Czech counterpart, Jan Lipavsky, who is on a visit to Bucharest. Odobescu highlighted the importance of the Bucharest 9 format, which both states are members of. In his turn, the Czech minister expressed his support for Romanias accession to the Schengen area.
VISAS – Romania may be included in the US Visa Waiver Program in 2025 at the earliest, said American ambassador to Bucharest Kathleen Kavalec. She explained that this timeline is not guaranteed, being dependant on the annual measurement of the visa rejection rate. To be able to enter the Visa Waiver Program, Romanias rejection rate must be below 3%. In 2020, the rate stood at 10% and in 2021 it grew to 17%.
POLLUTION – The European Union is preparing to adopt the legal framework for the implementation of the new Euro 7 standards all car makers must comply with on the EU market. As not all member states agreed to the proposals made, the Spanish presidency of the EU Council presented a new draft. Following pressure from a number of countries, including Romania, EU industry ministers voted in favour of a more diluted version of the greenhouse gas emissions norms to prevent car prices from growing too much and not to halt investments in electric cars. The draft maintains the emissions limits and the testing conditions for cars and light vehicles at the level of the Euro 6 standards, but sets lower limits for trucks and heavy vehicles and new limits for particulate emissions for breaks and tires. Air pollution currently causes 70,000 deaths a year in the European Union. (EE)
