November 7, 2022 - UPDATE

DROUGHT In Romania, the total area affected by drought is more than one million hectares. According to the agriculture ministry, losses have been reported in most counties. The most affected crops include wheat, barley, oats, rye, rape, corn and sunflower.

ENVIRONMENT Romania fully supports the EU in spearheading the efforts to limit climate change and the joint commitment of EU member states to reducing net greenhouse gas emissions, president Klaus Iohannis said on Monday at the Climate Implementation Summit held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt as part of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27). We must ensure an orderly climate transition, with multiple benefits, including investments in research-development-innovation, green economy and job creation, the Romanian official also said. He emphasised that access to affordable energy can be secured through investments in low-carbon production capacities, in resilient energy networks and by creating a regulatory framework tailored for renewable energy. "The cost of climate inaction is much higher than the cost of action. Climate change generates loss and economic as well as non-economic damages throughout the world," Klaus Iohannis pointed out.

MOLDOVA Romania covers at present more than 90% of Moldova's electricity needs, Romanian Foreign Minister, Bogdan Aurescu, said at a TV station. He also said the situation is serious in the neighbouring country, given its full dependency on foreign natural gas and electricity resources. According to Aurescu, Romania has also supported Moldova by supplying it with fuel oil and firewood. Bucharest has called on the international community to provide grants to Chisinau, so as the latter may purchase energy from the free market.

ANI Romania's National Integrity Agency (ANI) has found that the mayor of the capital city's District 1, Clotilde Armand, has breached conflict of interest rules. According to a news release issued by the institution, Armand appointed herself as the manager of an EU-funded project, from which she obtained material gains. ANI has also announced it notified the Prosecutor's Office and the Bucharest Prefect Office in this respect. A French citizen born in 1973, Clotilde Armand settled in Bucharest in 1999, after marrying a Romanian citizen. She was one of the founders of the current Save Romania Union (USR) in 2015, which she represented at the local elections of 2020 when she won the mayor seat of one of the capital's richest districts.

REACTION The Romanian Foreign Ministry denies the allegations made by Russian President Vladimir Putin in a recent Unity Day speech, which falsely induce the idea that Romania would have territorial claims in Ukraine. In a news release, the Foreign Ministry reaffirmed Romania's firm commitment to the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, within its internationally recognized borders. In his speech, Putin talked about territories forcibly seized by Ukraine from Hungary, Romania and Poland.

THEATRE The National Theatre Festival (NTF) continues in Romania until November 13. Theatre performances during this event will have in-person attendance, after two years of pandemic with online performances. The NTF includes over 60 theatre shows staged by public and independent companies from Romania and abroad. The festival, held this year under the motto, 'Fragile borders. Fluid histories' also includes an on-air section comprising a number of exquisite radio drama shows. (AMP)