NEW YEAR PM
\nNicolae Ciuc\u0103 said in his New Year address on Saturday that in 2022 Romanians
\nproved their solidarity, handled challenges hard to imagine and managed to do
\nmore than just endure. He mentioned the crisis facing Romania, with a war at
\nits borders, high energy prices and skyrocketing inflation. The PM emphasised
\nthat the government would continue to protect citizens’ interests, to support
\nthe economy and take care of the vulnerable. In turn, the Royal House of
\nRomania wished A happy new year, with health, hope and peace in their hearts
\nto all Romanians in the country, in the neighbouring Republic of Moldova and
\nabroad. <\/p>\n
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MEASURES In
\nRomania, the pension point value will be raised by 12.5% as of January 1, to
\nreach nearly EUR 360, and minimum wages will be increased to EUR 600. On the
\nother hand, the 10-eurocent governmental discount on fuel prices will be
\ndiscontinued. The government says it is ready to reintroduce it, should fuel
\nprices rise beyond citizens’ spending power. As of January 1, fuel excises will
\nbe cut down, while electricity and natural gas price caps and discounts will
\nremain in place. <\/p>\n
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JUDICIARY The
\nyear 2023 must see a crackdown on organised crime and criminal groups, Justice
\nMinistry officials posted on Saturday on the institution’s Facebook page. According
\nto them, Romania has the legislation, institutions and modern strategies to
\nachieve this goal. What it needs is more investment in logistics and leaders
\nable to encourage all prosecutors to undertake and accomplish their critical
\nsocial mission of safeguarding the law and protecting citizens and the state
\nfrom all forms of crime, the Justice Ministry emphasised. The message also says
\nthat the Ministry’s top accomplishment in 2022 was its contribution to Romania
\nbeing issued a last positive report under the Cooperation and Verification
\nMechanism in the judiciary and the lifting of this mechanism. <\/p>\n
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POPE Pope emeritus
\nBenedict XVI died this morning, aged 95, the Vatican announced. Over the past
\nfew days his health had deteriorated, AFP reports. The former Pope spent his
\nlast 9 years of life in the monastery within the small papal state, after
\nresigning in 2013, for reasons that are still unclear. Elected on April 19,
\n2005, following the death of Pope John Paul II, he was the first German leader
\nof the Catholic Church in 482 years. On February 11, 2013 Benedict XVI
\nannounced his resignation from the papacy, on account of his age and ill health.
\nJoseph Ratzinger was the first Pope since the Middle Ages to step down
\nvoluntarily. <\/p>\n
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FUNDING
\nRomania this year received the green light for the partnership agreement and
\nall the 16 programmes under the 2021-2027 cohesion policy, thus avoiding the
\nrisk of losing EUR 5.2 bln, the ministry for investments and European projects
\nannounced. According to the institution, these 16 programmes will bring into
\nthe country EUR 46 bln in strategic investments in safer hospitals, transport
\nnetworks, the water and sewage infrastructure and support for the business
\ncommunity. Eight of the 16 programmes are regional. In the previous EU financial
\nperiod, 2014-2020, Romania received EU funds totaling EUR 25.4 bln. (AMP)<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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