December 31, 2022
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Newsroom, 31.12.2022, 13:55
NEW YEAR PM
Nicolae Ciucă said in his New Year address on Saturday that in 2022 Romanians
proved their solidarity, handled challenges hard to imagine and managed to do
more than just endure. He mentioned the crisis facing Romania, with a war at
its borders, high energy prices and skyrocketing inflation. The PM emphasised
that the government would continue to protect citizens’ interests, to support
the economy and take care of the vulnerable. In turn, the Royal House of
Romania wished A happy new year, with health, hope and peace in their hearts
to all Romanians in the country, in the neighbouring Republic of Moldova and
abroad.
MEASURES In
Romania, the pension point value will be raised by 12.5% as of January 1, to
reach nearly EUR 360, and minimum wages will be increased to EUR 600. On the
other hand, the 10-eurocent governmental discount on fuel prices will be
discontinued. The government says it is ready to reintroduce it, should fuel
prices rise beyond citizens’ spending power. As of January 1, fuel excises will
be cut down, while electricity and natural gas price caps and discounts will
remain in place.
JUDICIARY The
year 2023 must see a crackdown on organised crime and criminal groups, Justice
Ministry officials posted on Saturday on the institution’s Facebook page. According
to them, Romania has the legislation, institutions and modern strategies to
achieve this goal. What it needs is more investment in logistics and leaders
able to encourage all prosecutors to undertake and accomplish their critical
social mission of safeguarding the law and protecting citizens and the state
from all forms of crime, the Justice Ministry emphasised. The message also says
that the Ministry’s top accomplishment in 2022 was its contribution to Romania
being issued a last positive report under the Cooperation and Verification
Mechanism in the judiciary and the lifting of this mechanism.
POPE Pope emeritus
Benedict XVI died this morning, aged 95, the Vatican announced. Over the past
few days his health had deteriorated, AFP reports. The former Pope spent his
last 9 years of life in the monastery within the small papal state, after
resigning in 2013, for reasons that are still unclear. Elected on April 19,
2005, following the death of Pope John Paul II, he was the first German leader
of the Catholic Church in 482 years. On February 11, 2013 Benedict XVI
announced his resignation from the papacy, on account of his age and ill health.
Joseph Ratzinger was the first Pope since the Middle Ages to step down
voluntarily.
FUNDING
Romania this year received the green light for the partnership agreement and
all the 16 programmes under the 2021-2027 cohesion policy, thus avoiding the
risk of losing EUR 5.2 bln, the ministry for investments and European projects
announced. According to the institution, these 16 programmes will bring into
the country EUR 46 bln in strategic investments in safer hospitals, transport
networks, the water and sewage infrastructure and support for the business
community. Eight of the 16 programmes are regional. In the previous EU financial
period, 2014-2020, Romania received EU funds totaling EUR 25.4 bln. (AMP)
