February 6, 2023 UPDATE
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 06.02.2023, 19:57
MOTION – Romanian MPs discussed on Monday the simple motion tabled by the opposition USR and the Force of the Right against the Liberal Interior Minister, Lucian Bode amid the forgery allegations he is presently facing. The signatories of a document entitled Romania deserves more than thieves in public positions, say the purpose of their move is to draw attention to the unacceptably long time spent in a public position by a man who deserves neither his academic title nor the respect of Romanias honest workers. The USR and the Force of the Right are blaming the minister for the humiliating failure Romania experienced in its attempt to join Schengen, as well as for the allegedly rigged public tenders for the purchase of cars by the clients of government structures. In his turn, Minister Bode said the motion is an orchestrated political attack and the allegations of plagiarism regarding his PhD thesis have nothing to do with reality. The motion will be voted upon on Wednesday.
ENERGY — The Romanian Energy Minister, Virgil Popescu, has said the country has enough gas stocks for the current cold season. At present we have in stock by 780 million cubic meters more than last winter, Popescu said. The Minister held talks with all the large importers of oil products in Romania who had diversified their sources in an attempt to avoid any shortages. Minister Popescu recalled that next winter, Romania is going to rely on no less than a billion cubic meters of gas from Azerbaijan, under a contract signed several days ago.
TEAM – Romanian president Klaus Iohannis has conveyed his condolences, on behalf of Romania, to the families of those killed following the powerful quake that hit Turkey and Syria early Monday. Romania stands by those affected by the tragedy, the Romanian president wrote on Twitter. The government of Romania decided to dispatch a specialized rescue team to Turkey. The support comes after the international assistance request Turkey launched via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The death toll in south-eastern Turkey exceeds 1,500, with over 8,500 people injured, according to the Turkish disaster agency, which also announced that more than 2,800 buildings collapsed, rising fears that the death toll could be much higher. The provisional death toll in Syria, a country tore by civil war, is over 800, with 2,300 people injured.
PROTESTS – The Sanitas Trade Union Federation in Romania on Monday started fresh protest actions in Bucharest, aimed at denouncing the small salaries in the field. Trade unionists are calling for a 15% pay rise and for debates on the salary law and the proper funding of healthcare institutions. Unionists protested in front of the Government offices and of several hospitals in the capital city. Protests will continue for another two days.
DEATH — Academician Razvan Theodorescu did on Monday aged 83, in a Bucharest hospital. He was an art historian and vice president of the Romanian Academy, had been a Social Democrat senator between 2000 and 2008, a minister of culture between 2000 and 2004 and head of the Romanian television between 1990 and 1992. Teodorescu was a laureate of the Herder Prize and received the “For Merit” National Order in rank of Commander. In January 2007 he became a member of the Albanian Academy and of the North Macedonian Academy.
EU – Starting on February 5, the European Union has completely suspended imports of Russian refined oil products, such as gasoline, diesel and fuel oil, in the context of the war in Ukraine. Until now, the embargo targeted crude oil. Also as of February 5, another European measure came into force, taken together with the allied states, the G7 group of highly industrialized states, as well as Australia. The measure is about limiting the price of Russian oil products transported by sea. (EE)
