September 30, 2017
European Council President Donald Tusk will hold consultations with all member states on initiatives to reform the EU after Brexit
Newsroom, 30.09.2017, 13:49
REFERENDUM – Tens of thousands of Catalan separatists have taken part in a final rally ahead of Sundays planned referendum on independence from Spain. Catalonias pro-independence government is planning to hold the referendum despite Spain deeming it illegal. Masses of referendum materials have been confiscated by police in recent weeks and officials involved in running the campaign face prosecution. Police across Catalonia have been ordered to prevent public buildings being used as polling stations on Sunday. However, the Catalan government said on Friday it planned to open more than 2,000 polling stations. Catalonia, a wealthy region of 7.5 million people in north-eastern Spain has its own language and culture, and a high degree of autonomy, but is not recognised as a separate nation under the Spanish constitution.
SUMMIT — The European Council President Donald Tusk will hold consultations over the next two weeks with all member states on initiatives to reform the European Union after Brexit. The announcement was made after the summit in Tallinn, Estonia, where the heads of state and government voiced disappointment with the slow pace of the Brexit negotiations. Talks were held on the sidelines of the Digital Summit focusing on digital economy and society, attended by EU heads of state and government. Leaders discussed the Commissions recent proposals for strengthening the EU’s cybersecurity and setting out measures towards a fair taxation of the digital economy. The latest cyber attacks on Europe have triggered economic problems, which have in turn led to significant financial losses, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said during his speech at the informal European Council digital summit. The president said that, without a common and fast intervention at European level, cyber attacks might severely affect the Unions economy and security.
VISIT – The US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will travel to Beijing over September 28 — October 1 to meet with senior Chinese leaders. Tillerson will discuss a range of issues, including President Trumps planned travel to the region, the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and trade and investment. Secretary Tillerson’s visit to China reaffirms the US Administration’s commitment to further broaden and enhance economic and security interests in the Asia-Pacific region. Over the past few months the Trump administration has publicly accused China, Pyongyang’s main ally, of not putting enough pressure on its North-Korean neighbour to give up its nuclear ambitions. On Thursday, the Chinese minister of trade announced that China ordered North Korean companies in the country to shut down by January as it applies UN sanctions imposed following Pyongyangs sixth nuclear test. The announcement came days after China confirmed that it would apply another major part of the sanctions – a limit on exports of refined petroleum products to North Korea starting October 1 and a ban on textiles from its neighbour.
INVICTUS GAMES — Romania, having taken part for first time in the Invictus Games in Toronto, Canada, scooped a number of medals and prizes. Thus, two Romanians, major Laurentiu Serban and lieutenant Ciprian Iriciuc won bronze in the indoor rowing competition, while the team made up of Ionut Butoi, Dorin Petru and Nicusor Pegulescu won gold in the archery final. Ionut Butoi also won silver in the individual archery final. The Invictus Games is the only sporting event for wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women. Invictus Team Romania is made up of 15 soldiers wounded in theatres of operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
ROBOR – The Romanian Interbank Offer Rate, on the basis of which interests for loans in the Romanian currency are calculated, has reached the level of 1.58%. According to the National Bank of Romania, this is the highest level registered since January 2015. This rate, known as ROBOR, started to grow rapidly in mid September, which, specialists say, will in turn trigger a growth in interest rates. In another development, the Central Bank has announced that the net foreign direct investment flow last year exceeded 4.5 billion Euros, and the final balance on December 31st 2016 stood at 70.1 billion. (Translated by Elena Enache)
