SUMMIT – Romanian president Klaus Iohannis is attending the
\nEuropean Council meeting and the Euro Summit in extended format in Brussels on
\nThursday and Friday. High on the agenda for talks are the situation in Ukraine,
\na review of the Multiannual Financial Framework, economic aspects, migration
\nand the EU’s foreign relations with emphasis on the crisis in the Middle East,
\nthe developments in the South Caucasus, Kosovo and Serbia and in Sahel. Regarding
\nUkraine, European leaders are expected to endorse, among other things, the EU’s
\nmultidimensional support and president Iohannis will underline Romania’s
\ndecision to carry on its support for Ukraine and plead for the continuation of
\nthe EU assistance to this country as long as it needs. The Romanian official is
\nexpected to support the opening of EU-accession talks for Ukraine and the
\nRepublic of Moldova by the end of this year. The Euro Summit will include talks
\nabout the economic situation at a European level. <\/p>\n
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LAW – President Klaus Iohannis on Thursday
\nratified the law on fiscal and budget measures to ensure long-term financial
\nsustainability. On September 26, the Government assumed responsibility over
\nthis law package, aimed at reducing the squandering of public spending and
\nending the way the powerful and the rich see themselves as untouchable, says
\nPrime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. On September 29, USR and the Force of the Right
\nin opposition as well as two Liberal MPs referred the law to the Constitutional
\nCourt, which rejected their notification. Under the new law, the VAT for
\ncertain goods and services will go up, in addition to the excise duties on
\ncigarettes and alcohol. All employees are now expected to contribute to the
\nhealth insurance budget. Public sector employees with incomes above 1,600 EUR
\nwill no longer receive holiday vouchers and food allowances, while the position
\nof head of office will be eliminated. Workers in IT with incomes below 2,000
\nEUR will be exempted from paying taxes. A special tax on luxury items such as
\nreal estate and vehicles will also be introduced. Large companies with
\nturnovers beyond 50 mln EUR will pay an additional 1% tax on profit. Banks too
\nwill pay an additional tax of 2% per profit in 2024 and 2025. <\/p>\n
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VISIT – Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu paid a
\nvisit to Brussels on Thursday, meeting European Commissioner for Transport,
\nAdina V\u0103lean, and European Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Customs, Paolo
\nGentiloni. Talks focused on major reforms and investments using European
\nfunding, the recently adopted budget measures and Romania’s economic prospects.
\nCommissioner V\u0103lean referred to Romania’s record-high rate of EU fund
\nabsorption, saying she would work with Transport Minister Sorin Grindeanu to
\nfind ways to make additional funds available for large infrastructure projects.
\nPrime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said he agreed with Paolo Gentiloni that Romania
\nshould continue to keep its budget deficit in check. The European Commission is
\na reliable partner for Romania, and we need to use all the available funds,
\nMarcel Ciolacu also pointed out. <\/p>\n
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TRANSPORT – The new bridge over the Danube, linking
\nGiurgiu in Romania to Ruse in Bulgaria, should include both road and rail
\ntraffic, Transport Ministry State Secretary Ionu\u021b S\u0103voiu said. This technical
\nsolution is also supported by the European Commissioner for Transport, Adina
\nV\u0103lean. The announcement follows in the context of long wait times on the
\nFriendship Bridge on the Romanian-Bulgarian border, which is 70-year old and
\ngets overcrowded. Talks are ongoing between the two states in order to kick off
\na feasibility study. The Bucharest-Giurgiu rail track, closed in 2005, is
\nexpected to reopen in spring next year. A new bridge of the Arge\u0219 River, in
\nGr\u0103di\u0219tea, will replace the one destroyed by the latest flash floods. The
\ninfrastructure department of the Romanian Railways announced it has secured 500
\nmln EUR worth of EU funding to modernize and electrify the rail line linking
\nBucharest North Station to Giurgiu Station. (DB & VP) <\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A roundup of domestic and international news<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":113,"featured_media":105208,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[116267,116277,28945,116278,36660,116279,36572],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-611936","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsflash","tag-crisis-in-the-middle-east","tag-european-talks","tag-klaus-iohannis","tag-law-on-fiscal-and-budget-measures","tag-marcel-ciolacu","tag-transport-projects","tag-war-in-ukraine"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n