February 7, 2023 UPDATE

EARTHQUAKES - The powerful earthquakes that shook Syria and Turkey on Monday have killed more than 6,300, according to the latest toll made public on Tuesday. Rescue teams are making efforts to save as many lives as possible. There are also dozens of thousands of people injured. According to estimates in Ankara, 13 million people have been affected in Turkey by the earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, which was followed by lots of aftershocks. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declared 10 affected provinces "disaster areas", also calling a state of emergency in the entire region for three months. The president said 70 countries have so far provided assistance for search and rescue operations. Romania joined the international support effort for Turkey and sent to Andana 3 military aircraft with 60 Romanian professional rescuers, doctors and nurses, and specialized rescue equipment.

EUROPEAN COUNCIL - Romania's president, Klaus Iohannis, on Tuesday attended a videoconference with the European Council president, Charles Michel, and a group of European leaders ahead of the extraordinary European Council meeting scheduled on Thursday and Friday in Brussels. "In today's preliminary meeting, hosted by the European Council president, we primarily focused on assistance to Ukraine at all levels, on consolidating the competitiveness of EU economy and on implementing clear-cut measures designed to combat illegal migration", the president wrote on social media. The European Council is set to convene in Brussels in a special summit to address Russia's military aggression in Ukraine, the latest economic developments at EU level and migration-related topics.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS - The Romanian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday summoned Hungary's ambassador in Romania to inform him that our country firmly condemns the statements made by the chairman of the Hungarian Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee with respect to Romania allegedly restricting the display of the flag of the so-called Szekler Land. The Romanian MFA states that the Romanian legislation allows members of the 20 national minorities to display their specific insignia in both private and public. As regards the so-called Szekler Land, there is no administrative unit bearing this name, which also means no one is justified to official use any specific insignia. Romania again calls for restraint in public statements and expects Hungarian officials to observe the strategic relationship between the two states.

SCHENGEN - Romania and Bulgaria want to join the Schengen Area this year, the countries' two Prime Ministers, Nicolae Ciucă and Galab Donev have said. The two officials say it is important to maintain good cooperation and agreed that EU-wide solutions are needed to continue the fight against illegal migration. In a videoconference, the two Prime Ministers also argued in favor of taking clear steps with a view to making the Danube a permanent navigable watercourse and with respect to building a new bridge in the Giurgiu-Ruse area.

PROTESTS - The Sanitas Federation continued its protests on Tuesday against the Salary Law and the underfunding of medical care and welfare in Romania. The list of demands includes higher incomes for all the employees in the healthcare and welfare system by at least 15%, to cover inflation, negotiations between the Government and stakeholders on the new bill regarding the remuneration of personnel paid from public funds, and the provision of a sufficient and correct funding system for medical and welfare institutions.  A delegation of the Sanitas Federation was received at the Government headquarters on Monday, the first day of the protest. The Federation announced protests would continue on Wednesday as well.

BILL - In Bucharest, senators voted unanimously in favor of a legislative proposal to be added to the Criminal Code, under which drivers found drunk or under the influence of prohibited substances while driving, as well as those who drive without a license, will go directly to prison in the situation in which they cause a road accident resulting in casualties. In Romania, 100 people die annually in road accidents caused by drivers in such situations, said the initiator of the legislative proposal, PSD senator Robert Cazanciuc. Every year, approximately 20,000 people are prosecuted for driving without a license, under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and after the adoption of the legislative proposal, judges will no longer be able to suspend the execution of prison sentences. The document will now go to the Chamber of Deputies, which is the decision-making body in this matter.

MOLDOVA - The Republic of Moldova deserves to be part of the European family, European Parliament president Roberta Metsola told a press conference on Tuesday held jointly with Moldova's Prime Minister, Natalia Gavriliță in Brussels, at the end of the EU-Moldova Association Council meeting. "We need to accelerate the integration of your country on the single European market", president Metsola further said. The EU official promised the European Parliament will fulfill its obligations regarding the disbursement of €145 million to Moldova in the form of macrofinancial assistance. "We will find a way to be not just the beneficiaries of European assistance, but in turn to contribute to the security of the EU's borders and help maintain peace and stability on the European continent", the Moldovan Prime Minister said in turn. Attending the meeting, the Romanian State Secretary for European Affairs, Daniela Gîtman, reiterated the firm commitment of Romania and the EU in supporting the Republic of Moldova, a country facing overlapping crises against the backdrop of the Russian aggression in Ukraine.  (MI & VP)