ECONOMY Net
\ninvestments in the Romanian economy in 2022 were over EUR 30 bln, up 8.5% since
\nthe previous year, PM Nicolae Ciuc\u0103 announced. He says this proves the positive
\nimpact of the measures taken by his Cabinet on the economy. Investment in
\ndevelopment, the PM also says in a Facebook post, will preserve jobs and
\ngenerate new ones, and in the long term it will contribute to higher revenues. Other
\ndata made public by the National Statistics Institute, which the PM says
\nconfirm the success of the Romanian economy in 2022, are a 4.8% GDP growth, foreign
\ndirect investments of EUR 11.3 bln, a 73% rate of EU fund absorption and
\nexports amounting to EUR 85 bln. On the other hand, Romania’s public debt
\ndropped in December 2022 to 47.2% of GDP, from 48.3% in November 2022 and 48.9% in 2021, the finance
\nministry announced. In 2023, expenditure for public investments is expected to
\naccount for 7.2% of GDP.<\/p>\n
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VISIT After his visit to Japan, president Klaus Iohannis travelled
\nto Singapore, where he had talks with his counterpart, Halimah Yacob. The Romanian
\npresident highlighted Romania’s goal to step up bilateral relations with
\nSingapore. Additionally, president Iohannis spoke of a set of common goals
\npursued by both presidents, such as inclusion policies, economic and social
\ndevelopment and green transition. He voiced Romania’s special interest in fully
\ntapping the potential of bilateral relations, particularly in the economic and
\ninvestment area, and underscored Bucharest’s objective to attract investment
\nfrom Singapore, especially since Romania is the third-largest EU provider of IT
\nservices to that country. In turn, the president of Singapore, Halimah Yacob, highlighted
\nthe importance of the bilateral relation considering Romania’s growing profile
\nat EU and NATO levels, particularly in the geopolitical context generated by
\nthe war in Ukraine. President Yacob also addressed the need to boost investment
\nand two-way trade, considering the opportunities provided by such sectors as
\nIT&C, cyber security and tourism. The Romanian head of state also had talks
\nwith Singapore’s PM Lee Hsien Loong, who emphasised the convergence of views and
\ninterests of the two countries in the current geopolitical context, and the
\nimportance of respecting the rule-based international order centred on the UN
\nCharter.<\/p>\n
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BYSTROYE The biodiversity of the Danube Delta is not affected by
\ndredging works on the Bystroye Canal, and no significant water flow changes on
\nthe river Danube have been reported compared to statistics published in recent
\nyears, says the Environment Minister Tanczos Barna after the first measurements
\nconducted by Romanian authorities on the branch of Chilia and Romanian sections
\nof the Danube. The Romanian official said Ukrainian authorities must provide a
\nwritten consent before the three ships of the Transport Ministry can finalize
\ndepth measurements across the entire section of the Chilia branch, run a new
\nanalysis of water flows and provide their final report. Authorities from
\nRomania and Ukraine have agreed to measure the depth of Danube River canals
\nafter Kyiv started dredging the Bystroye canal. The Ukrainian Infrastructure Ministry
\nsaid that, once dredging works were completed, the depth of Bystroye grew from
\n3.9 to 6.5 meters. Kyiv has however denied that the works violated any
\nagreement. Bucharest wants to make sure Ukraine’s operation does not impact
\necosystems in the Danube Delta, a protected UNESCO World Heritage site.<\/p>\n
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REFUGEES A centre for Ukrainian refugees was opened on Friday within
\nthe Edmond Nicolau Technical College in Bucharest. The centre is
\nthe outcome of a partnership between Bucharest’s District 2 Hall, UNICEF and Habitat
\nfor Humanity. Its 3 floors, totalling 2,000 sq m, can host 100 people. The
\ndistrict mayor says refugees may live, cook, socialise here, and that special
\nareas are arranged for children to do their homework.<\/p>\n
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MOLDOVA The US Administration will provide the Republic of Moldova
\nwith USD 300 mln in assistance for the energy sector and will share information
\nwith this country in a move to fight Russia’s attempts to destabilise it, the
\nWhite House announced on Friday. The national security spokesperson John Kirby
\ntold the media that, although there is no imminent military threat against
\nMoldova, the US believes Russia is seeking to weaken this small country and
\nbring in a more pro-Russian government. He also said Washington has confidence
\nin Moldova’s democratic and economic institutions and in their capacity to
\nwithstand these threats. We will continue to provide significant support, said Kirby.
\nProtests against the government and president Maia Sandu, organised in
\nparticular by the pro-Russian party Sor, have been a regular occurrence in
\nChi\u015fin\u01ceu for several weeks. (AMP)<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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