THE WEEK IN REVIEW

January 8-12, 2024

Ştefan Stoica, 12.01.2024, 15:12

Jobs in the health system

The Bucharest executive has unlocked 7,600 positions in the medical and social assistance systems, against the background of the chronic shortage of specialized personnel. A third of them are reserved for doctors. The measure does not create financial problems, stated Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, as the budget of the Ministry of Health is, this year, 40% higher than last year. Practically, all important hospitals that have a shortage of doctors, nurses and orderlies will be able to hire. These should, however, be reflected in better services for patients, the prime minister insisted. The line minister, Alexandru Rafila, asked health units to immediately initiate the legal procedures for the organization of employment competitions. Regarding the grievances of the SANITAS Trade Union Federation, which is threatening a strike, Minister Rafila admitted that there is a sensitive problem, related specifically to the salary of auxiliary staff in hospitals, but they are trying to identify a solution over the next period.

Economic data and forecasts

The Romanian economy registered a growth of 1.8% in 2023, 0.8 percentage points lower than previously estimated, according to the latest report on Global Economic Prospects, published on Tuesday by the World Bank. The estimates regarding the evolution of the Romanian economy in 2024 and 2025, when the real GDP growth would be 3.3% and 3.8% respectively, were also revised down. Better news came from the National Institute of Statistics: the trade balance deficit for the period between January and November 30, 2023 was 25.5 billion euros, 5.450 billion less than the one recorded in the similar period of 2022. With regard to the forecasts of the World Bank, it warned that the world economy will slow down in 2024, for the third consecutive year. According to the international financial institution, if the economic contraction caused by the pandemic in 2020 is excluded, this year’s growth would be the weakest since the financial crisis of 2009.

Protests by transporters and farmers

There were two days of protests by Romanian transporters, who were joined by dozens of farmers with tractors, who made it difficult for traffic on the Bucharest ring road. Transporters are unhappy with the high rates of RCA insurance policies, and farmers are demanding compensation for drought-affected crops. Carriers argue that RCA rates have increased a lot in a relatively short time. Another problem would be the fact that two cars with similar technical capabilities and without road accidents have different value policies. The representatives of the truck drivers had discussions, at the government headquarters, with the advisors of the prime minister. It was agreed that next week there will be a working meeting between the representatives of the carriers and those of the Financial Supervisory Authority, to discuss the issue of mandatory insurance policies.

Romania and NATO

Romania has become the 15th member of the NATO Support and Strike Force – STRIKFORNATO. The Chief of Staff of the Naval Forces, Vice Admiral Mihai Panait, participated on Wednesday, in Portugal, in the ceremony for raising the national flag of Romania at the headquarters of this force. At the beginning of the year in which two decades have passed since joining the North Atlantic Alliance, Romania became a member of NATO’s most powerful naval strike group. STRIKFORNATO stands for the Joint Allied Command, with a focus on the maritime domain, which encompasses very high strike capabilities such as carrier battle groups, expeditionary groups, and strike groups consisting of cruisers, destroyers and frigates. Also in the naval field, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey signed, on Thursday, in Istanbul, the memorandum of understanding regarding the establishment of the operative group for clearing sea mines in the Black Sea. The initiative of the three allies bordering the Black Sea is intended to facilitate the safety of navigation by combating the threats represented by the mines, and will ensure a continuous level of vigilance and preparation, also contributing to the strengthening of the allied deterrence posture and the defense of the eastern flank.

Hard winter in the east of the country

The counties in the east and south-east of Romania faced, in the first part of the week, an episode of severe weather, characterized by frost, heavy snow, and blizzard. Several localities remained without electricity, and road traffic was seriously disrupted due to strong winds and snow deposited on the road. The authorities temporarily closed traffic on several sections of the national road. Trains were also delayed. The bad weather also affected the activity of schools, barely reopened after the winter vacation, and in several counties classes were held online. The frost caused human casualties. The snow and blizzard also created problems in the neighboring Republic of Moldova.

Radu Drăguşin – the most expensive Romanian footballer

The main headline this week in sports is the transfer of the young Romanian footballer Radu Drăguşin from the Italian club Genoa to the London side Tottenham Hotspur. The 21-year-old international signed with Spurs until 2030, and cost 25 million euros, plus another 6 million in bonuses, a record amount for a Romanian player. Born in Bucharest, the centre-back took the step towards big football in 2018, when he was transferred by Juventus. Radu Drăguşin is the fourth Romanian footballer who will perform at Tottenham, after Gheorghe Popescu, Ilie Dumitrescu and Vlad Chiricheş.