September 16, 2014 UPDATE
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România Internațional, 16.09.2014, 19:42
Officials for the Government and the National Bank of Romania are holding technical experts in Brussels with experts of the International Monetary Fund, the European Commission and the World Bank. Recent economic developments and the stage of implementing the agreements with the international lenders will be analysed. According to the Romanian finance minister, Ioana Petrescu, emphasis will be laid on the second budget amendment, on structural reforms and the assessment of the economic situation. Also on Tuesday, the opposition asked for the consultations in Brussels to be made public. The next IMF mission in Romania will be held after the presidential election of November.
The Ukrainian Parliament Tuesday endorsed a law giving greater autonomy to the separatist regions of Donetsk and Lugansk in the Russian-speaking east of the country. Among others, the document stipulates a provisional autonomous 3-year government and the organisation of local elections on December the 7th. The law, rejected by the pro-Russian rebels, who seek independence, was included in the ceasefire protocol signed on September the 5th. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Russia announced it would strengthen its military presence in Crimea, annexed in March. The decision, said the Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu, was taken against the backdrop of the worsening crisis in Ukraine and the military build-up near the Russian border.
Ahead of a historic referendum on Thursday, on the independence of Scotland, the sides double their efforts to persuade the undecided. The leaders of Britain’s main parties have promised to grant broadened powers to the Parliament in Edinburgh, if citizens vote against independence. The Conservative PM David Cameron made a visit to Scotland on Monday, to defend the unity of the Kingdom of Great Britain, while Queen Elizabeth the 2nd, who is officially neutre in the debate, hinted at her concerns. Meanwhile, the Spanish Foreign Minister, Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo, said on Tuesday that the Government in Madrid will do its best to prevent a referendum on the independence of Catalonia. On Friday, the Catalan parliament will rule on the referendum, which might take place in November.
The World Health Organisation says the Ebola virus affecting the west of Afria has reached the highest level in modern times and threatens to spiral into a humanitarian disaster. According to a WHO report, 2,500 deaths have already been reported, and the number of deaths has reached 5,000. A WHO official quoted by the BBC said actions must be taken to put an end to the epidemics, so that the number of deaths should end at tens of thousands.
