August 24, 2023 UPDATE
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 24.08.2023, 20:17
GOVERNMENT – The Romanian government plans to take responsibility in Parliament for a legislative package that includes, among others, fiscal balancing measures and measures to combat fiscal evasion. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said Romania needs an equitable fiscal system. On Thursday, employees with the fiscal sector held spontaneous protests in a number of cities, two days after their warning strike. On August 11, over 15,000 employees in the fiscal administration launched spontaneous protests, disgruntled with the governments measures to cut public spending, which could affect over 22,000 people in this sector.
UKRAINE — Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has congratulated his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a letter conveyed on the occasion of Independence Day in Ukraine. Iohannis voiced his appreciation for the strength the Ukrainian people have shown in defending their independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, in the face of Russian aggression. In his turn, PM Marcel Ciolacu also sent a message saying: “For the second consecutive year, Ukraine celebrates Independence Day fighting for freedom and its legitimate right to choose its own destiny. For a year and a half now, the Ukrainian people are resisting the Russian aggression with great courage, supported by the strong solidarity of the international community. Romania has had an extremely important contribution”.
EDUCATION – The Bucharest Government passed in its Thursday meeting, an order for the payment, next month, of increased salaries in education. The money will be allocated to the Ministry of Education at the first budget revision this year, scheduled for September. According to Government sources, a second budget revision this year could take place in November. We remind you that, between May and June, the trade unions in education went on a general strike, demanding a 25% salary increase in education.
PRIGOZHIN – The leader of the mercenary group Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, his deputy and eight other passengers were reportedly killed in a private plane crash on Wednesday in Russia. The Russian Federal Agency for Air Transport announced the plane crashed in Tver region, north-west of Moscow. On Monday, Prigozhin appeared in a video posted on social media by groups close to Wagner, saying he was in Africa. Prigozhin started an uprising in June against the Russian Defense Staff and the Defense Minister, Sergei Shoigu. In Ukraine, Prigozhin stood out during the fight for Bakhmut in the east, where Wagner mercenaries, mostly recruited from Russian penitentiaries, reclaimed the city in May, sustaining heavy casualties. During the battle, Prigozhins conflict with the Russian high command escalated, the Wagner mercenary boss accusing Russian generals of incompetence and the failure of delivering additional ammo to Wagner troops. The Wagner private military company is also engaged in numerous theatres of operations in Africa, including the Central African Republic, Mali or Libya.
VOLLEY – The Romanian womens volleyball team on Saturday will play France in the European Championship quarterfinals. Romania ranked 3rd in Group B after winning 3-1 against Croatia and 3-2 against Bosnia Herzegovina. The European Championships take place over August 15 – September 3 in four countries – Belgium, Italy, Estonia and Germany. At the 2021 edition held in Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Serbia, the Romanian side ranked second to last, 23. Romanias best result in the womens European Championships was in 1963, when our team won bronze at home. (EE)
