CONFERENCE The
\nRepublic of Moldova doesn’t have to be and won’t be alone in its efforts to
\nimplement the reforms it needs, Romania’s Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu said
\non Friday at the end of the second edition of the Ministerial Conference of the
\nSupport Platform for the Republic of Moldova. According to the head of the
\nRomanian diplomacy this platform is ‘a permanent instrument’ and is useful for
\nChisinau’s efforts to join the European Union. Financial assistance pledges of
\nup to 600 million euros have been issued during the conference for the support
\nof this ex-soviet republic with a Romanian-speaking majority. The event in
\nBucharest brought together delegations from 33 countries, members of the EU,
\nG7, the European Free Trade Association, international bodies, financial
\ninstitutions and UN agencies. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has
\nannounced a financial assistance package for this state of up to 77 million
\neuros. ‘It is important to know that we are not alone and that we can count on
\nyou. Moldova is a small country and the magnitude of the events are beyond its
\ncapabilities to cope with them’ Moldovan president Maia Sandu said. <\/p>\n
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ORDINANCE On Friday, the government in Bucharest
\npassed the final amendments to tax legislation. Some changes are set to come
\ninto effect on August 1, while others on January 1 next year. After
\nconsultations with social partners, with employers’ associations, trade unions,
\nand local elected representatives, the Finance Ministry made several changes to
\nthe initial bill. They accepted the proposal by hospitality industry employers
\nfor companies to choose between specific taxes and tax on profits. According to
\nthe changes, VAT would go up from 5 to 9% for restaurants, hotels, and catering
\nfirms, while VAT for soft drinks would go up from 9 to 19%. Starting on August
\n1, tax incentives in construction and the food industry are granted for
\nsalaries of up to 10,000 lei, about 2,000 Euro, and not up to 30,000 lei, about
\n6,000 Euro, as it is at present. Also next month, excises will go up for
\nalcohol and tobacco products. The tax on dividends goes up from 5 to 8 percent.
\nAt the same time, people with salaries of up to 4,550 lei, about 900 Euro,
\nyoung people below 26, and people providing child care would get deductions. <\/p>\n
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COVID Over 4,100 new Covid-19
\ninfections have been reported in the past 24 hours in Romania. Most of the
\ncases are in Bucharest and its surroundings. 1,700 people are being treated in
\nhospitals out of whom 101 in ICU. 3 related fatalities have been reported in
\nthe past 24 hours. 65,805 fatalities have been registered in Romania since the
\nbeginning of the pandemic. <\/p>\n
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FIREFIGHTERS A second contingent of 28
\nRomanian firefighters has left for Greece to replace their colleagues who in
\nthe past two weeks have assisted the local authorities in monitoring and
\nextinguishing forest fires in areas north of Athens. Several fire engines, a
\ntanker as well as command and control vehicles have been deployed to the
\naffected areas. In the past 15 days, firefighters from Romania have
\nparticipated in various missions in the regions of Schimatari and Porto
\nGermeno. Last year Romania also helped Greece in its fight against devastating
\nforest fires. <\/p>\n
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