\n
Russia
\nis no longer a partner, but a threat<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The
\nNATO Summit in Madrid is one of the most significant Allied meetings
\nin recent years in terms of results for Romania – said Romania’s
\nPresident Klaus Iohannis. He pointed out that the central theme of
\nthe discussions held, and of the decisions made at the summit, was
\nthe military invasion of Romania’s neighbor, Ukraine, by the
\nRussian army, and that NATO’s new strategic concept, adopted at the
\nsummit, adequately reflects the current security situation. Thus,
\nRussia is no longer considered a partner, but is labeled as the most
\nsignificant and direct threat to the security and stability of the
\nAllies. For the first time, Communist China is accused of using a
\nwide range of political, economic and military activities to project
\nits power around the world. China’s avowed ambitions and its coercive
\npolicies pose challenges to our interests, security and values -
\nsaid the NATO member states’ representatives, who also point a
\nfinger at the strategic partnership between Beijing and Moscow
\nagainst the international order. NATO has also confirmed the
\nstrengthening of its military presence on the Eastern flank,
\nincluding in Romania. Its reaction force increases from 40 thousand
\nto over 300 thousand highly trained soldiers. This is the most
\nimportant reorganization of our collective defense since the Cold
\nWar NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg unerlined, while US
\nPresident Joe Biden said that we are here and we
\nare proving that NATO is more necessary than ever. He announced,
\nin turn, a strengthening of the U.S. military presence throughout
\nEurope. NATO has also promised to support Ukraine, for as long as
\nnecessary, to resist the Russian armed invasion. Secretary-General
\nStoltenberg said that support for Kyiv was a moral and
\npolitical obligation.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Romania
\nand the gas crisis<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
One
\nof the EU Member States least dependent on Russian hydrocarbon
\nimports, Romania can become energy independent, a supplier of energy
\nsecurity in the region, and a transport corridor for gas and green
\nenergy from the Caspian Sea – says the Romanian Energy Minister
\nVirgil Popescu. He participated on Tuesday, together with the Prime
\nMinister Nicolae Ciuca, in the ceremony organized in Vadu, in
\nConstanta County (south-east), on the occasion of the launch of the
\nnatural gas exploitation as part of the Midia project. Minister
\nPopescu said that the natural gas reserves in the Romanian Black Sea
\narea amount to 200 billion cubic meters. The extraction of natural
\ngas from the Midia area is the first project of its kind in the
\nRomanian Black Sea area in the last 30 years, and in June the first
\namounts of gas have already entered the domestic market. In turn,
\nPrime Minister Ciuca said that 41% of Romania’s gas storage
\nfacilities is currently filled, and, by November 1, this amount will
\nreach 80 %.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Social
\npolicies for crisis situations<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Legal
\nentities that want to postpone paying their loan installments must
\nprove that, in the last three months, they have suffered losses of at
\nleast 25%, and individuals must show that their monthly expenses
\nincreased by 25% – shows a government decision made by the governing
\ncoalition made up of PSD-PNL-UDMR, which thus hopes to mitigate the
\neffects of the recent price hikes. The deferral of loan installments
\nis valid for a maximum of nine months, and only on loans without
\narrears in the last six months. Postponing the payment of loan
\ninstallments for those affected by the price increase is a temporary
\nadvantage – warned expert Adrian Mitroi, a professor at the Academy
\nof Economic Sciences in Bucharest. He explained, on Radio Romania,
\nthat the postponement brings, in fact, an additional cost. When the
\ndebtor resumes payment, the amounts due monthly will be higher, as
\nthey will also include certain additional bank fees. The government
\nalso adopted a draft law that will help students and young people to
\nreceive bank loans, 80% of which will be guaranteed by the state. In
\nthe case of students, the guarantee is about 10,000 Euros, and in the
\ncase of young couples, about 15,000 Euros, the equivalent in lei, the
\nnational currency, at the exchange rate of the day.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The
\nlaw of silence in Romania<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The
\nhead of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, former chief
\nanti-corruption prosecutor in Bucharest, Laura Codru\u0163a Kovesi,
\nannounced that she is looking into appealing to the European
\nCommission for activating the mechanism of conditioning European
\nfunding in order to defend rule of law in Romania. According to an
\nEPPO press release, the reason is the content of a law recently
\npassed by Parliament, reflecting a European directive on protecting
\nwhistleblowers. The main concern is that the bill could discourage
\nthem in Romania, more specifically with regard to uncovering fraud
\ninvolving European provided funding, according to an EPPO press
\nrelease. Many Romanian civic organizations announced they would file
\ncomplaints with the People’s Ombudsman against the bill on protecting
\nwhistleblowers, pointing out that Romania risks sanctions,
\nconsidering that the prospective law samples selectively the European
\ndirective relevant to the issue.
\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Florin
\nCitu resigns again<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
On
\nWednesday, meeting in plenary session, Romanian senators have
\ndismissed the speaker of the chamber, after filing Florin Citu’s
\nresignation. Previously, Citu had stated that his resignation had
\nbeen requested by Liberal Party chairman, PM Nicolae Ciuca, and by
\nparty secretary general Lucian Bode, who had informed him that he no
\nlonger has party support for the position of speaker. He claimed that
\nhe was blamed for the statements he made for years against the Social
\nDemocratic Party social and salary policies, a party that is in
\ncoalition partnership with the Liberals. According to some Romanian
\njournalists, Florin Citu is a very competent economist, for others a
\nridiculous character, and he ascended the political ladder as fast as
\nhe fell off of it. For as long as he was favored by President Klaus
\nIohannis, he was PM and National Liberal Party chairman, then he
\nsupposedly fell out of grace and lost both positions, in favor of
\nReserve General Ciuca. The interim speaker position will be held by
\nLiberal Alina Gorghiu, a former MP with controversial bill proposals,
\nalso seen as a protege of the head of state. Two years prior, she
\nproposed that people with prison sentences of less than seven years
\nserve their detention at home, an initiative that sparked waves of
\ncriticism.
\n<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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