SEPTEMBER 7, 2023

Click here for a roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 07.09.2023, 14:13

FORUM At the Business
Forum of the Three Seas Initiative, currently underway in Bucharest, Romanian
president Klaus Iohannis said that the region’s potential is enormous and that
major projects of infrastructure development need to be carried on through the
implication of other countries in the EU and also in the Western Balkans. In
turn, Romania’s Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu, says the Three Seas Initiative
has become a shield to protect the future of the citizens, of economies and especially
the security. Over one thousand business people, decision-makers and civil
society representatives are today attending the Business Forum of the Three
Seas Initiative – a format, which brings together the EU member states situated
between the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea and the Adriatic. Talks have been
structured in four working sessions on priority topics both from the viewpoint
of the EU and the transatlantic relationship. The business forum was preceded
by the Summit of the Three Seas Initiative on Wednesday.

DRONE NATO
does not have any indication that the drone debris found on the Romanian
territory was caused by an intentional attack launched by Moscow, the
Alliance’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said before the European
Parliament on Thursday adding that they are waiting for the outcome of an
ongoing investigation, Reuters reports.
The North-Atlantic Alliance had previously voiced its strong solidarity
with Romania, after being informed on the incident close to this country’s border
with Ukraine. We are going to closely monitor the situation and keep in touch
with our ally, Romania, NATO says. According to Romania’s president Klaus
Iohannis, provided the drone is confirmed as belonging to Russia, the incident
is tantamount to a severe violation of the sovereignty and territorial
integrity of Romania. A day before, the Romanian official had said ‘there was
no part of a drone or any other device to have reached Romania’.

CULTURE The
city of Timisoara in western Romania, which is the European Capital of Culture
this year, will this month be staging a series of outdoor events, such as concerts,
exhibitions, the famous festival Plai and a medieval one suggestively entitled
Through Fire and Sword. The latter, which kicks off on Friday at the local
Village Museum, is a time travel through the history of Europe from its ancient
days to the modern time. This reenactment will be brought to life by various
specialized groups of actors from Romania and abroad who are going to don
vintage costumes and carry old weapons, like swords, scimitars, battle axes and
guns in an attempt to recreate with great accuracy the atmosphere of Europe’s
medieval burgs and not only. Visitors will be able to participate in various
workshops of archeology, stone-carving and pottery.

GROWTH According to
provisional data released by the National Institute for Statistics (INS)
Romania’s GDP registered a 0.9% growth in the second semester of the year as
compared to the first quarter and grew by 1.7% against the similar period last
year. Among the economic activities that have contributed to this growth were wholesale
and retail, car and bike repair, transport and storage operations as well as
the hospitality sector. With a limited activity in this period of time, the
country’s industry had a negative impact upon the aforementioned GDP
growth.

(bill)