September 23, 2024
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 23.09.2024, 14:04
UN. President Klaus Iohannis will be heading Romania’s delegation at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly taking place in New York on the 24th and 25th September. The main theme is “Unity in diversity, for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for everyone everywhere”. According to a statement from the Romanian president’s office, Klaus Iohannis will give an address on Wednesday, in which he will call for maintaining multilateral dialogue, especially in a UN format, as an essential element of regional and global security. He is also expected to highlight his country’s efforts and contribution, at all levels, to finding solutions to current global challenges, from security crises like the war in Ukraine or the conflict in the Middle East, to major challenges facing the world, including the climate emergency and cyber threats.
Agriculture. The Romanian minister for agriculture and rural development Florin-Ionuţ Barbu is attending the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels. Talks focus on the situation of agricultural markets, especially in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and an assessment of the second year of the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy’s strategic plans. The ministers will also exchange views on the future annual consultations between the European Union and the United Kingdom on the fishing quota for 2025, as well as the annual consultations between the European Union and Norway and the coastal states for next year. The Council will discuss a Commission proposal to update fishing quotas for 2024 and 2025 for certain fish stocks to take into account the latest scientific approvals and events.
Elections. The Romanian foreign ministry has published a guide for postal voting ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections this year. The voter registration deadline for Romanian citizens with their domicile or residence abroad is 10th October for the presidential elections and 17th October for the parliamentary elections. Registration is made by filling in an online form available at votstrăinătate.ro, a website managed by the Permanent Electoral Authority.
Budget. The Romanian government is to approve a budget amendment proposed by the finance ministry that factors in growing incomes and expenditures leading to a higher budget deficit, and following a downwards revision of the economic growth rate. Healthcare, education and transports will receive more money. Prime minister and leader of the Social Democratic Party Marcel Ciolacu said on Saturday that he also supplemented the budgets of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation and the Romanian Television, to make up for the big salary gaps between the two public institutions. The budgets of the economy ministry and those of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies will be slashed.
Handball. The Romanian women’s handball vice-champions CS Rapid Bucharest lost 37-29 to the German side HB Ludwigsburg at home on Sunday evening, in a Champions League Group B match. Rapid will next play Team Esbjerg away on 6th October. The Romanian side are in 4th place in their group, with 3 points in 3 matches. Previously, the Romanian champions CSM Bucharest defeated the Croatian side RK Podravka Vegeta Koprivnica 29-28 away, while CS Gloria 2018 Bistriţa-Năsăud lost at home to the Slovenian side Krim Mercator Ljubljana 30-35. CSM have four points in three matches played, and Gloria two points. The latter will play their next match away against FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria on 5th October, while CSM will face the Danish side Nykobing Falster Handbold at home on 6th October.
