September 21, 2023 UPDATE

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 21.09.2023, 20:00

UN – The
extended Black Sea region must be protected against the fallout from Russia’s
war in Ukraine, Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis said on the sidelines of the
UN General Assembly. Romania will not abandon its most vulnerable partners, the
president said, referring to the transit of Ukrainian grain on Romanian
territory, a topic he also tackled jointly with the president of Ukraine,
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen,
and the Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister, Mariya Gabriel. On Thursday, the head of state gave a speech on the sidelines
of the World Leaders Forum on Romania’s perspectives on the war in Ukraine and
its impact on Black Sea Security, in an event hosted by University of Columbia
in New York. Russia expected a weak international community before attacking
Ukraine, but its assumption was wrong, president Iohannis said, adding that
NATO has made historic decisions to strengthen defense and deterrence on the
Eastern Flank and the Black Sea. The president also pointed out that the Black
Sea has been irrevocably confirmed as a region of strategic importance for
Euro-Atlantic security, and now everyone understands that what happens in the Black
Sea doesn’t stay in the Black Sea.

LAW PACKAGE – The Cabinet had
a first discussion on the set of measures aimed at the long-term rebalancing of
the state budget and at facilitating the absorption of tens of billions in EU
funding. Apart from cutting down public spending, the bill focuses on fighting
tax evasion, introduces taxes on large profits and wealth, and eliminates tax
privileges. Ahead of the Cabinet meeting, the measures were discussed in the
three-party Social Dialogue Council, which brings together government officials
and representatives of employer associations and trade unions.

OPINION – The Economic and Social
Committee (CES) has issued a negative opinion with respect to a draft emergency
decree of the Romanian government stipulating the introduction of new taxes,
increasing existing ones and eliminating certain tax breaks. CES
representatives claim the decree produces unpredictability in the field of
fiscal legislation, adding that the budget deficit should be solved through an
efficient management of public revenues.

ACCIDENT – A criminal investigation
was initiated with respect to the blast that occurred on Wednesday night on a
gas pipeline on the Moldova Motorway construction site in eastern Romania, in
which four people died and 5 others were injured. Two men with burn wounds
affecting 30% and 40% of their bodies, respectively, were transferred to
hospitals in Bucharest. Prosecutors are investigating manslaughter and bodily
harm offences, as well as failure to take or observe work safety measures.
According to the Vrancea Emergency Inspectorate, the blast was caused by the
construction works conducted in the vicinity of the pipeline, which was also
carrying natural gas to the neighboring Republic of Moldova.

CORRUPTION – Two known
thoracic surgeons with the Marius Nasta Institute in Bucharest were detained
for bribe taking, while another six physicians, mostly anesthesiologists, were
placed under pre-trial arrest. According to investigators, several physicians
with the Marius Nasta Institute have been repeatedly receiving money and others
goods from patients in the last year. Investigators have seized mobile and
immobile property from the said physicians and froze their bank accounts, after
noticing significant differences between their legal revenues and actual
profits in the last 5 years. The total value of assets frozen by prosecutors
stands at over 800 thousand EUR.

GRAIN – Thursday saw the first
naval transport of Ukrainian grain to arrive in Istanbul since Russian withdrew
with the grain transit agreement in the Black Sea. Carrying 3,000 tons of grain
for Israel, the ship left Chernomorsk on Tuesday and used a route off the
Romanian and Bulgaria Black Sea coasts, which Kyiv has labeled a safe corridor.
Ukraine announced a second grain cargo will be headed to Egypt. (VP)