July 18, 2023

A roundup of local and international news.

Newsroom, 18.07.2023, 13:55

CELAC. Romanian president Klaus Iohannis on Monday met Ralph Gonsalves, the president
of CELAC, the Community of Latin American and
Caribbean States, and the prime minister of Saint Vincent and Grenadines
on the sidelines of the EU-CELAC summit held in Brussels. The two officials
discussed ways to consolidate ties between Romania and the states in the
region. On the first day of the summit, on Monday, president Iohannis said the
European Union and the Latin American and Caribbean
states are key allies in supporting a rules-based international order and the
principles of the United Nations charter. He also highlighted the need for
closer cooperation in promoting and addressing common interests and challenges
at global level. On Tuesday, the European Union and Uruguay decided to
intensify cooperation in pursuing the clean energy transition. According to a European
Commission statement, the two parties signed a Memorandum of
Understanding on renewable energy, energy efficiency and renewable hydrogen.

Romania-Mexico.
Romanian foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu had talks with her Mexican
counterpart Alicia Barcena Ibarra on Monday on the sidelines of the EU-CELAC
summit. Talks focused on giving a new impetus to bilateral relations, including
by top level contact, identifying new areas of sectoral cooperation, the
presentation of Romania’s position on Russia’s military aggression against
Ukraine and an exchange of views on the future of EU-Mexico relations. The
areas in which Romania is seeking to improve cooperation with Mexico include
civil protection, cyber security and boosting economic ties with emphasis on
enhancing investments. The talks also highlighted the importance of the
Romanian community in Mexico and the support given by Romania in the evacuation
of Mexican nationals from Ukraine.

Heat
wave. Romania continues to struggle with a heat wave today. The southern
counties and the capital Bucharest are under an orange code, with temperatures
expected to hit 38 and 39 degrees Celsius. Other counties in the south-east,
west and centre are under a yellow code, with highs expected to range from 33
to 37 degrees Celsius. Europe is also struggling with extreme heat, with
temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius expected in a number of regions across
the continent. The World Meteorological Organisation warns that the heat wave
engulfing southern Europe will intensify over the next few days and will
continue into August. Experts are warning that global warming in Europe is
advancing twice as fast as the world average. They say temperatures are 5-6
degrees higher than normal. A red code heat alert is in place today in Italy,
Spain, Serbia, Hungary and Bosnia and Hertegovina, while Greece, Austria, the
Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Switzerland are under the orange code.
Elsewhere, devastating fires are raging in North America, while China is
expecting temperatures of up to 45 degrees Celsius. Japan and South Korea are
faced with torrential rain and heat that caused victims and significant
material damage.

Deal. Russia pulled out of a four-party deal on
the export of Ukrainian cereals via the Black Sea. Signed by Ukraine, Russia,
Turkey and United Nations, the agreement expired on Monday at midnight, with
Russia refusing to extend it. The deal allowed Ukraine to transport cereals
from its ports via the Bosphorus Strait in Turkey. Russia justified its pulling
out of the deal invoking the obstacles faced by the trade in Russian
agricultural products. The last shipment of agricultural products from Ukraine
via the Black Sea was inspected on Monday night in Istanbul, a few hours before
the expiry of the international agreement.

Imports.
In the first five months of the year, Romania imported 36% less natural gas
than in the same period last year, while domestic production grew by 6.6%,
according to the National Institute for Statistics. The National Strategy and
Forecast Commission estimates that the natural gas production will increase by
3.6% annually by 2026, after a drop of 1.1% in 2022.

Football.
Romanian football champions Farul Constanţa
are today playing the Moldovan side Sheriff Tiraspol away, in the second leg of
the Champions League preliminary round. Farul won the first leg 1-nil. Whoever
wins will next face either Maccabi Haifa of
Israel or Hamrun Spartans of Malta. Three Romanian sides are playing in the
Conference League: the winners of the Romanian Cup and Super-Cup CFR Cluj, Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe and FCSB, who are currently in
second place in the domestic standings. (CM)