PARLIAMENT The Chamber of Deputies will discuss on
\nMonday the simple motion tabled by Save Romania Union and the Force of the
\nRight, in opposition in Romania, against the finance minister Marcel Bolo\u015f. The
\nOpposition argues that the enforcement of the new fiscal measures for which the
\nGovernment has taken responsibility before Parliament, will lead to tax
\nincreases. The USR MP Claudiu N\u0103sui says the Liberal finance minister chose to
\ntriple taxes instead of cutting special pensions and to levy taxes on turnover,
\nwhich he believes will have countless negative effects on companies and
\nultimately on consumers. The Chamber will vote on the motion on Tuesday. Also
\nearly this week, the Senate will vote on a government emergency order
\nregulating the gambling sector. The document, which introduces an additional
\ntax for companies in the sector, has been passed by specialist committees. The
\nSenate is also to discuss a bill tabled by the Social Democratic MP Alfred
\nSimonis and banning the sale of electronic cigarettes and similar tobacco
\nproducts to minors.<\/p>\n
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SCHENGEN The Romanian MEP Eugen Tomac, the leader of the People’s
\nMovement Party, announced plans to appeal the EU Tribunal ruling dismissing his
\nclaims regarding Austria’s alleged abuse of power with respect to Romania’s
\nSchengen accession. He said he would take the matter to the Court of Justice of
\nthe European Union, and voiced hopes that the judges would approach the issue in
\na more complex and more detailed manner, in line with the EU treaties and the
\nSchengen agreements. Moreover, Tomac said, Bucharest can only overcome the situation
\nby means of this appeal, in which the Romanian government would be a privileged
\napplicant. Austria opposes the Schengen accession of Romania and Bulgaria,
\narguing that the 2 countries are on the EU illegal migration route, an
\nallegation disputed by the Romanian authorities and European institutions.
\nVienna also believes the Schengen area as it is at present is ineffective and
\nsaid it would oppose any enlargement project.<\/p>\n
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VISIT
\nThe European Commission vice-president for Values and Transparency, V\u011bra
\nJourov\u00e1, will be on an official visit to Romania on Monday, when she will have
\nmeetings with president Klaus Iohannis, PM Marcel Ciolacu and other Cabinet
\nmembers. According to the European Commission, the EU official will discuss the
\nrule of law and reforms in the judiciary, Romania’s goals in the digital
\ndecade, the digitisation projects included in the National Recovery and
\nResilience Plan, as well as AI and fighting disinformation.<\/p>\n
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ISRAEL
\nThe president of France, Emmanuel Macron, and the British
\nPM Rishi Sunak emphasised, in a phone discussion on Sunday, the need for urgent
\nhumanitarian support in Gaza Strip, after Israel announced stepping up its
\nmilitary response to the Hamas attack of October 7. In turn, the US security
\nadviser called on the troops entering Gaza to make a distinction between
\ncivilians and the Hamas terrorists, who are legitimate targets. Israel
\nannounced that in the coming days it would allow a significant increase in aid
\nfor the civilians in Gaza. The Israeli defence ministry asked Palestinian
\ncivilians to move towards the south, to an area designated as humanitarian, where
\naid will be delivered under a joint mechanism created by the US, Egypt and the
\nUN. Two aid convoys with foodstuffs, water and medicines entered the Rafah
\nterminal on Saturday night and Sunday morning. The UN secretary general,
\nAntonio Guterres, voiced his surprise at the escalation of Israel’s military
\nattack on the Gaza Strip after the UN General Assembly issued a resolution
\ncalling for immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian
\nrallies were organised on Sunday as well in many cities in the world.<\/p>\n
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PEACE
\nThe president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, attending a meeting in Malta,
\ncalled for a global model based on his 10-point plan for peace with Russia, Reuters
\nreports. An official list of the participants in the meeting is not yet
\navailable, but attending were officials for European, South-American, Arab,
\nAfrican and Asian countries. The plan includes clauses concerning the
\nrestoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, the pull-out of Russian troops,
\nprotection of food and energy supplies, nuclear security and the release of all
\nprisoners. The co-chairs of the meeting, Ukraine and Malta, issued a joint
\ndeclaration that mentions the participants’ commitment to just and sustainable
\npeace, based on the UN Charter. The parties will take steps to arrange for a
\npossible peace summit at a later date.<\/p>\n
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GOVERNMENT PM Marcel Ciolacu announced that preparations have
\nstarted for drafting the 2024 public budget. The government will analyse the projects
\nand programmes that went well, as well as the investment applications for next
\nyear. On the other hand, the PM dismissed the idea of other fiscal changes in
\naddition to the ones for which his Cabinet has taken responsibility before
\nParliament. The law on measures to ensure Romania’s long-term financial
\nsustainability, promulgated by presidentKlaus Iohannis on Thursday, introduces new taxes and tax raises and cuts off tax facilities. Some
\nof the measures take effect on November 1, while the others will be enforced as
\nof January 1. Marcel Ciolacu also estimated that the new pensions law will be
\nendorsed in Parliament by the end of next month and will take effect on January
\n1, 2024. (AMP)<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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